Boys soccer: Win gives Wolves perfect league mark

Olympic league standings (final)

Team Lg. Over.

Sequim 12-0-0 13-0-2

Port Angeles 9-3-0 11-3-0

North Kitsap 7-5-0 7-7-1

Bremerton 6-6-0 8-7-1

Kingston 4-8-0 6-10-0

North Mason 3-9-0 5-10-1

Olympic 1-11-0 1-14-1

After setting nearly every school benchmark in the record books in 2018, these Wolves somehow found a way to top it.

With a 4-1 win at Kingston on Monday night, Sequim’s boys soccer squad capped an undefeated league campaign for the first time in school history.

After already clinching the league title several games prior, the Wolves (12-0-0 in Olympic League play, 14-0-2 overall) knocked off the defending Olympic League champs for the second time this season; details weren’t available at press time.

The Wolves started last week with a 2-0 non-league win at Port Townsend on April 23, with scores coming from Mathys Tanche in the first half off an Adrian Funston assist, and Brandon Benson taking a pass from Rudy Franco and floating a 40-yarder for a score in the second half.

Navy Thomas-Brenske and Jordan Hurdlow split time in goal for the Wolves for the shutout.

Sequim coach Dave Brasher said Franco was the Wolves’ Man of the Match.

“Defensively, he made some great plays (and) solidified everything,” Brasher said.

Sequim then got a a 4-2 win at 1A powerhouse Klahowya on April 24 — helping Sequim avenge one of its two ties on the season (the teams played to a scoreless draw on March 22).

After giving up an early goal to Eagle Oscar Peterson, Sequim got even a minute later when Eli Gish sent a cross to Ryan Tolberd who headed it in to the far post.

Ten minutes later Sequim grabbed a lead, with Tanche and Tolberd setting up Mike McAleer for a score from 18 yards out.

The Wolves’ Man of the Match, defender Angel Servin, played a role in Sequim’s third scoring play. He found Tolberd, who passed to Tanche, and the exchange student sent in a shot that teammate Sean Weber volleyed in off the left post.

Klahowya managed to score before halftime for a 3-2 score, but Brasher said his team settled down defensively and pretty much shut down the Eagles after the break.

Sequim got an insurance goal at 60 minutes when Reid Parker found Kristian Mingoy, who knocked it in from eight yards out.

On April 26, Sequim celebrated their seniors with a 7-0 crushing of North Mason’s Bulldogs. The Wolves honored five seniors and two exchange students and five of the seven scored in Friday’s senior night victory.

After Ian Parker, a senior who is out for the season with a torn ACL, took a ceremonial kickoff before the game started, the Wolves netted a score just three minutes in when McAleer booted it toward the goal and Tanche headed it in for a 1-0 Sequim lead.

McAleer scored Sequim’s second goal off a Chris Morgan feed 11 minutes later, and the Wolves held a 2-0 lead at halftime.

The lead could have been bigger but several near-scores were slightly off of goal, including a Funston penalty kick that sailed wide left, a Tanche breakaway that clipped the crossbar and another pair of Tanche shots that North Mason managed to keep out of the net.

“2-0 is a dangerous place to be,” Brasher said at halftime. “They need the win and have nothing to lose.”

Sequim, however, erupted for five second half goals, with Morgan, Tanche, Franco, Weber and Benson all finding the net.

Brasher named Tanche as the Man of the Match for his two scores and also said Parker and freshman Ethan Knight played well off the bench.

Looking ahead

With the No. 1 seed from the Olympic League, Sequim hosts a West Central District playoff game at 7:30 p.m. Tuesday, May 7, at Peninsula College, taking on the winner of the South Puget Sound League’s No. 5/No. 8 seed game held on May 4.

A win puts Sequim into the district championship game at Franklin Pierce High in Tacoma on May 11 and gives the Wolves an automatic 2A state tourney berth.

A loss means Sequim would need a win on May 9 to earn a spot in the district consolation finals and a state tourney bid.

Sequim Gazette reporter Matthew Nash contributed to this report.

Teammates celebrate senior Chris Morgan’s free kick goal that put the Wolves up 3-0 early in the second half of a 7-0 win on April 26. Sequim Gazette photo by Matthew Nash