After a four-season streak of postseasons (minus Covid-marred 2020 and 2021 campaigns), Sequim’s boys soccer program had a rebuilding year in 2023.
A spring later, the Wolves have all but a half-dozen from their roster back under first-year head coach David Breckenridge, who moves up from his assistant role.
And while this year’s team will see their third head coach in three years, Breckenridge has been a constant in the coaching ranks.
From his perspective, overseeing a preseason practice with most of a massive turnout (49 in all), the SHS coach expects big things from his crew this year.
“I’m very confident about this season,” Breckenridge said.
“We have a depth channel from local clubs,” he said, with a two- to three-year surge in solid players in the pipeline.
Sequim has a solid core returning — particularly on defense, including all-Olympic League first team defender Colin Feik and all-league second team goalkeeper Nolan Valenzuela, both underclassmen in 2023.
The pair helped Sequim record two shutouts, earn a three-game win streak and beat Port Angeles at home during a 4-10 campaign.
Feik, who comes into the season with several club years under his belt, should be the team’s MVP, Breckenridge said.
“We’re very lucky to have him as a player,” the Sequim coach noted.
Seven returning seniors help lead the team into this season — Mekhi Ashby, Simon Hare, Jack Henninger, Solas McGruther, Noah Pfeifer, Parker Knight and Sam Stewart — as well as sophomore Joshua Alcaraz, who returns will several years of club experience.
On-the-pitch leaders will include Henninger and Valenzuela, Breckenridge said.
The Sequim coach said he expects big spring season from Ashby, Knight and in particular junior Preston Kurtze. “He’s going to shine this year,” Breckenridge said of Kurtze.
Last year’s team struggled to find a rhythm on offense, going scoreless in their first six games before finding the net twice against Kingston.
This year’s team, however, has a different feel, Breckenridge said.
“The program is completely different this year. The focus is on student-athletes [being] respectful of their teammates as well as in life,” he said. “The camaraderie and friendships have been fantastic.”
After the season-opener against North Mason was canceled because of scheduling error, Sequim opened the season with a 4-2 win at home against Port Angeles (see below).
The Wolves (1-0) were slated to play at Olympic on March 19; results were not available at press time.
Sequim hosts North Kitsap on March 21 and Bainbridge on March 26.
Spring sports preview: Boys soccer
Head coach: David Breckenridge (first season)
2023 record: 4-10 in Olympic League and overall (seventh)
Top returners: Jack Henninger (sr.), Sam Stewart (sr.), Solas McGruther (sr.), Mekhi Ashby (sr.), Simon Hare (sr.), Noah Pfeifer (sr.), Parker Knight (sr.), Preston Kurtze (jr.), Adrian Mendez (jr.), James Mason (jr.), Evan Cisneros (jr.), Nolan Valenzuela (jr.), Joshua Alcaraz (so.), Finn Braaten (so.), Colin Feik (so.), Max Stanford (so.), Colton Wagner (so.)
Newcomers: Kyhlan Henderson (NA), Nicholas Musso (NA), Guillermo Salgado (NA)
Sequim High 2024 boys soccer schedule
Date Opponent Time
March 12 North Mason 6:45 p.m.
March 14 Port Angeles 6:45 p.m.
March 19 at Olympic 6:45 p.m.
March 21 North Kitsap 6:45 p.m.
March 26 Bainbridge 6:45 p.m.
March 28 at Bremerton 6:45 p.m.
April 9 Kingston 6:45 p.m.
April 12 at North Mason 6:45 p.m.
April 16 at Port Angeles 6:45 p.m.
April 18 Olympic 6:45 p.m.
April 23 at North Kitsap 6:15 p.m.
April 25 at Bainbridge 6:45 p.m.
April 30 Bremerton 6:45 p.m.
May 2 at Kingston 6:45 p.m.
Sequim rules the Rainshadow Rumble with four-first half goals
By Michael Carman
Olympic Peninsula News Group
Sequim striker Preston Kurtze scored two nearly mirror-image goals, celebrating the first with a curtsy/bow of his own creation toward the crowd, as the Wolves ruled the Rainshadow Rumble rivalry in a 4-2 win over Port Angeles in a home and season-opening win on March 14.
All of Sequim’s tallies came in the first half, including three goals in the final eight minutes before halftime, as the Wolves were able to control play and link passes consistently in their offensive third of the field to set up scores.
Early on, Port Angeles’ Caleb Lagrange managed to find space and slip past the Sequim defense on two occasions but Wolves’ goalkeeper Nolan Valenzuela was there to make saves on the breakaway attempts.
Sequim quickly countered, eventually sending the ball into the Roughriders’ penalty box from long distance. Port Angeles’ defense wasn’t able to clear the ball and Josh Alcaraz pounced on the play and beat Riders’ goalkeeper Kevin Royack for a 1-0 lead in the 15th minute.
Royack stopped a Wolves’ breakaway by Mekhi Ashby near the 30-minute mark, but Sequim kept coming forward offensively.
Kurtze found the net with the first of his similar scoring plays in the 32nd minute when he ran onto an Evan Cisneros long ball and continued his sprint up the left side of the field to the end line. He then feinted left, and went right with the ball, cutting between two Port Angeles defenders before turning and shooting back towards the left post and between Royack’s legs into the goal for a 2-0 lead.
He added a flourish to the play with a celebration in front of the home sideline.
The Wolves scored again a minute later, building up play quickly from the back for a 3-0 lead.
Port Angeles scratched one back in the 37th minute.
Sequim and Kurtze had other plans, however, just before halftime. Kurtze ran on to another long through ball up the left side, this time from Colin Feik, and again sprinted to the end line before slaloming back to his right into the Port Angeles goal box and shooting back to his left, going through Royack’s hands this time for a 4-1 halftime advantage.
Port Angeles added a second penalty kick goal late in the second half when Kanyon Anderson went low and to the corner for a 4-2 final score line.
Sequim’s Mekhi Ashby keeps the ball from a Port Angeles defender in the Wolves’ 4-2 win over Port Angeles on March 14.
Sequim Gazette photo by Matthew Nash / Sequim’s Jack Henninger, left, and Port Angeles’ Daniel Blondolillo vie for the ball in the Wolves’ season-opening 4-2 win over PA on March 14.
Sequim Gazette photo by Matthew Nash / Sequim’s Max Stanford, center, vies for the ball with Port Angeles’ Jacob Weaver in SHS’s season-opening 4-2 win on March 14.
