Boys Soccer: Sumner ends Sequim’s run

Spartans score 3 second-half goals to oust No. 4 seed

By Michael Dashiell • May 22, 2014 12:39 pm
Sequim’s Thomas Winfield races toward Sumner’s goal as defender Owen Leenstra gives chase in the first half of the West Central District game on May 17. Winfield scored a first half goal to put Sequim up 1-0 by halftime
Sequim’s Thomas Winfield races toward Sumner’s goal as defender Owen Leenstra gives chase in the first half of the West Central District game on May 17. Winfield scored a first half goal to put Sequim up 1-0 by halftime

 

In a matchup of two teams bearing the “SHS” moniker proudly boasting purple and gold, someone’s season needed to end.

Despite the lion’s share of possessions in the first half and a 1-0 halftime lead, Sequim’s Wolves (15-4) couldn’t hold off the Sumner Spartans in a 3-1 West Central District 2A tourney loss in Poulsbo on Saturday.

“Tough way to end it,” Sequim coach Dave Brasher said following the loss. “They picked up a couple of transition goals (and we) missed a couple of wide ones.”

Nic Baird and Thomas Winfield put Sequim up in the first half. After a pair of chances by Baird and Cameron Chase just missed, Baird sent a shot that looked to cross the goal line, but Winfield backed up the play to tap it back in for a 1-0 Wolves advantage.

Baird came within a few feet of putting Sequim up 2-0 when he slipped a shot past Sumner keeper Henry Leenstra that ran just over the crossbar.

About seven minutes into the second half, Sumner grabbed the playoff game’s momentum, as Spartan Zak Rowsan snagged an errant pass in the Sequim backfield, worked past two defenders and slipped a crossing shot past Sequim goalie Austin Wagner for the equalizer.

Sumner kept the pressure on with shots on goal at the 56-, 57-, 60- and 65-minute marks, but Wagner and the Wolves’ defense held tough. The work seemed to pay off when Sequim’s Adrian Espinoza laced a hot on goal with five minutes left, but it trickled left of Leenstra and the net for a goal kick.

With three minutes left, Sumner’s Nick Phillips netted the game-winner with a header into the right-hand side of the net.

Christian Fisher gave the Spartans insurance with a score in penalty time.

“These kids play with heart and soul,” Brasher said. “You could tell they didn’t want to come off the field.”

Sequim finished the campaign in third place in the Olympic League, just one game out of first place, and wound up the second seed in districts after splitting seeding games with North Kitsap (2-1 win on May 12) and Kingston (shootout loss on May 14).

The Wolves’ 15 wins were the most since 2004, when Sequim went 16-2-1 and advanced to the state 3A tourney.

“Everyone out here has been playing with each other since fifth, sixth grade,” Sequim senior Lijah Sanford said. “This year, everyone blended together with the same mind set … (and) worked their butts off.”

In other district tournament action, No. 1-seeded Kingston topped Franklin Pierce, No. 9-seeded North Kitsap upset Foster 3-2, No. 5 Orting edged No. 6 Klahowya 1-0 and No. 2 Fife handled No. 8 Tyee, 5-1.