Spring sports preview: Club players make up high-skilled Sequim prep squad
Published 1:30 am Wednesday, March 21, 2018
Spring sports preview: Boys soccer
Head coach: Dave Brasher (23nd year)
2017 finish: 7-8-2 (6-6-0, tied for fourth in Olympic League)
Top returning players: Mathew Craig (sr.), Evan James (sr.), Nickolas Janikic (sr.), Addie Berg (sr.), Rudy Franco (jr.), Adrian Funston (so.), Liam Harris (sr.), Michael McAleer (so.), Chris Morgan (jr.), Ian Parker (jr.), Navy Thomas-Brenske (so.), Ryan Tolberd (so.), Sean Weber (jr.)
Newcomers: Eli Gish (fr.), Kayuk Minano (jr.), Byron Rice (sr.), Liam Stevenson (sr.)
Key league competition: Kingston, North Kitsap, Port Angeles, Bremerton
In the offseason, them majority of this team is spread far and wide. Come spring, however, it’s all purple and gold.
This year’s Sequim Wolves boys soccer squad boasts players from a half-dozen different select soccer squads — and an exchange student to boot, so to speak — as they look to put Sequim back in the postseason.
Last season, Sequim dropped four of its final five matches including a pair of heart-breaking losses to Bremerton on back-to-back days, falling 1-0 to end the regular season and 2-1 (on penalty kicks) in a postseason tiebreaker to fall out of district tourney consideration.
And while this year’s squad is a little thin in terms of depth, head coach Dave Brasher says, it’s chock-full of top talent.
“In the past we’ve carried bigger teams,” Brasher says, “(but those on the roster) have a high skill level.”
Leading the way is senior Liam Harris, who racked up 13 goals as a junior last year despite battling injuries throughout. The first team All-Olympic League forward’s 28 goals ranks third all-time, just 12 behind all-time leading scorer Kai Antrim (2005-2008).
Also is sophomore Ryan Tolberd who notched six goals in limited time as a freshman. Tolberd joins fellow Storm King standouts Michael McAleer, Navy Thomas-Brenske and Chris Morgan.
“The Storm King groups are starting to pay off,” says Brasher, noting other returning regulars Adrian Funston, Sean, Weber, Ian Parker and Evan James, and newcomer Eli Gish, have club experience.
Funston and McAleer tallied five scores apiece last spring.
Brasher says he likes how the defense is shaping up with all-league second-team defender Rudy Franco and Mathew Craig back in the fold in 2018.
“We have experience but not much size (on the back line),” Brasher says.
Keepers Nickolas Janikic and Thomas-Brenske look to keep foes out of the net.
Assistant coaches include Jake Hughes, who coaches the Peninsula College men’s team, and SHS alum Zane Carey.
The Wolves lost a number of mainstays to graduation, including Josiah Urquia (six goals in 2017), Konner Parrish, Patrick McCrorie, Christian Rocha, Robert Beeson, Christian Goodrich and Josh Gonzalez.
While Sequim’s home games are on grass, the Wolves will get a number of games on artificial turf as many other school are moving to a synthetic surface. Sequim will take on rival Port Angeles for a “friendly” on the Peninsula College turf on April 7.
“These kids are getting better on turf; most of these kids are used to it,” Brasher says.
The power in the league figures to be back in the north end of Kitsap County once again in state 2A tournament qualifiers North Kitsap and Kingston; NK lost just four seniors off of last yea’rs team and Kingston just five.
Brasher says Sequim and Port Angeles will be battling with those squads for the top four spots, with the other 2A Olympic League squads — North Mason, Olympic and Bremerton — struggling to keep up.
Strong start for Wolves
Following an 8-0 win against Olympic on March 13 to start the season, Sequim earned a draw and a win against a pair of non-league foes to cap their week — each while missing three starters.
Sequim and the Fife Trojans — state 2A tourney qualifiers last spring— played to a 2-2 tie in Fife on March 15. Liam Harris kicked off the scoring with a tally off a Byron Rice assist. Sequim gave up two Fife goals on long free kicks before Harris tied up the game off a Ryan Tolberd pass.
“We played really well; we out-shot (Fife) 18-7, so we had chances to win that game,” Brasher said.
Sequim followed that with a 4-1 home victory over 1A foe Coupeville on March 16, the Wolves’ first home game of the spring.
Kayuk Minano led the scoring with a free kick that got past the Coupeville kicker for a score. Minano then set up freshman Eli Gish for a score. Harris chipped in the final two scores off assists from Minano and Gish.
“It was our third game in four days, so the kids were pretty tired,” Brasher said.
Looking ahead
The Wolves hosted North Mason on March 19 — results were not available at press time
Sequim is at North Kitsap on March 21 before hosting rival Port Angeles in a Saturday special on March 24. The Wolves host league powerhouse Kingston on March 27.
