It’s been a season of bests for the Lady Wolves soccer squad.

After looking through yearbooks, consulting coaches and old stat sheets, the 2016-2017 squad appears to be Sequim’s best in 32 years of the program’s history.

The Wolves (7-5 in the Olympic League, 11-6 overall) won their final regular season match-ups to notch 10 wins with a 1-0 win against Kingston (2-10, 2-13) at home on Oct. 25 and a 1-0 win in Bremerton (0-12, 0-15-1) on Oct. 27 to take third place in the Olympic League.

Adding to their stupendous season, the Wolves won their first postseason game 1-0 on Oct. 29, in penalty kicks over Steilacoom (12-2 in the South Puget Sound League, Sound division, 12-5 overall).

It’s the team’s first appearance in the West Central Districts III since 2012 when five teams from the Olympic League were selected for the tournament.

Head coach Derek Vander Velde said the game was quite stressful as another close game went into overtime and penalty kicks, but Sequim went on to win 5-4.

“We ended up going to six shots because both teams missed one but on the sixth shot Claire (Henninger, goalkeeper) blocked it,” he said.

For the Wolves, Henninger, Erin Vig, Yana Hoesel, Jessica Dietzman and Adare McMinn scored on penalty kicks.

“I thought the other team was a good team and they continued to fight and fight,” Vander Velde said.

“We had several chances and we changed a few tactics, which led to a few shots (five total) on goal.”

Henninger had nine saves in goal.

For the Wolves to make the 2A state tournament set for Nov. 7-19 at Shoreline Stadium, they’ll need to at minimum defeat White River (12-1-1, 14-1-2) on Tuesday, Nov. 1, at Fife High School, which due to press deadlines results were not available. See www.sequimgazette.com and/or its social media for updates.

All four teams from the Olympic League are in the second round of districts, including Port Angeles, Olympic, and North Kitsap.

Super season

Going into the game against Steilacoom, Vander Velde said it didn’t matter who they played.

“It matters we play with heart and our style of soccer and do the things we’ve taught them as a coaching staff,” he said..

In his first year, Vander Velde said he set a few basic goals — bringing the girls together as a full unit and finishing at .500.

“We did that and then some,” he said.

Early on players set a goal to earn a plaque for the high school’s main entrance because the soccer team hasn’t finished first in league, but setting a school best has the team still excited for what’s next.

Sequim girls soccer has multiple seasons with six wins, and the 2003-2004 and 2004-2005 squads both won seven games each. The previous record holder, the 1991-1992 squad, went 3-7 in league and 8-7 overall.

“We had more wins this year than the last two combined (8),” said midfielder McMinn. “It feels different. It’s a good different though.”

Defender Erin Vig, who joined the team as a junior last season, said she felt they came out really strong to start the season.

“Unlike other teams, we have such a strong bond and no drama,” she said. “This year and last year, we just never had any problems.”

McMinn said one difference has been how many freshmen were excited to join the team.

“Our team blended a lot better,” she said. “The older girls were more into it so they were more into bringing new girls into (the fold) rather than just being there.”

Freshman midfielder Daisy Ryan said she and other freshmen knew coming in, Sequim didn’t have the best win-loss record in recent years.

“It feels awesome to play with all these girls on a winning team,” she says. “I feel like I got way better as the season went on and it was a great opportunity. The other freshmen felt that way, too.”

At one high point, Sequim rattled off six wins in a row but saw a late three-game losing streak late in the season to teams they previously defeated in overtime or penalty kicks.

Vander Velde said for some it may have been weird to win and the pressure may have begun to mount to keep the success going but he said the girls persevered.

Teammates said every team hits a rough patch though.

“The first time around, teams didn’t expect much from us,” Henninger said. “It’s just Sequim. It’ll be fun. We got them by surprise. Next time they needed to be ready.”

The girls also said they feel some consistency going forward now too with Vander Velde. He is the team’s third head coach in three years after previous coaches stepped down for personal reasons.

Players also said they appreciate the team’s booster club which helped them purchase new uniforms and equipment.

Regular season wrap

Midfielder Hoesel sent a corner kick on Oct. 25 to Erin Vig to put the Wolves ahead of Kingston in Sequim on Oct. 25. Sequim took 12 shots on goal as Henninger recorded four saves.

For the regular season finale, coaches and players said it wasn’t their best game despite the 1-0 win.

“They had nothing to lose,” McMinn said of the winless Knights. “They fouled a lot and we fouled a lot. It wasn’t pretty but we got through it.”

Vander Velde said it cold and rainy conditions may have played a part in the poor play and the Knights recording an own goal. “I have to hand it to Bremerton, they came out on fire,” he said.

Reach Matthew Nash at mnash@sequimgazette.com.

Sequim Gazette editor Michael Dashiell contributed to this article.