Sequim Gazette staff

Sequim soccer players returned to hone their skills at the new Albert Haller Playfields last weekend.

Players worked out the kinks following spring break to ready themselves for three games of proving matches this week.

The Wolves (5-2, 17 points), the second place team in the Olympic League behind North Kitsap (6-1, 18 points), traveled to play North Kitsap on Monday and Kingston on Wednesday before playing at home for the big local rivalry with Port Angeles (0-6) at 6:45 p.m. Friday, April 12.

For some players, the game is more than a homecoming.

Freshmen and sophomore players Eli Berg, Hayden James, Austin Wagner, Tyler Ebert, Cameron Chase and Thomas Winfield have played with the Storm King U-16 team. It splits its players between Sequim and Port Angeles. Last year, the team was in the Washington State Regional Club League and took second place, led by both Sequim and Port Angeles coaches.

For freshmen Chase and Ebert, the experience was a little weird.

Chase, a forward, said they’ve played together on Storm King for six years practically year-round and haven’t played against other Storm King players in a setting like this before.

Ebert said it’s been a fun experience playing with the Port Angeles players but he will have a different feeling seeing them on the field.

Berg, a sophomore, said it’s weird and different playing friends.

Yet the boys agreed the rivalry isn’t as heated as other sports in town.

“The traditional rivalry is displaced with a friendly rivalry,” said coach Dave Brasher.

Last year, the Roughriders beat Sequim twice but with the Wolves playing at a high caliber, that doesn’t seem likely this year.

Sequim already blanked the Roughriders 2-0 in Port Angeles on March 12.

Berg, who starts in center midfield, said one thing stays true when he plays with friends. “I’ll try to knock them over,” he joked.

This season, the Wolves’ two losses came in shootouts.