Cheney Slips Past Wolves

 Sequim Exits State Tournament in Penalty Kick Thriller

  May 18, 2004 – Cheney High School, Cheney

   The Best Season Ever of Sequim Soccer came to a suspenseful end Tuesday night in Cheney when the Cheney Blackhawks converted their seventh penalty kick after a Sequim miss.  The Wolves had a chance to win on the fourth and fifth kicks but came up short.  It was a monumental effort in a string of outstanding games that frankly had the players exhausted.  Playing their seventh game in thirteen days and missing some key injured and committed players it was unbelievable that they even had the opportunity at the end to move on to the quarterfinals.  But the Blackhawks were tough and did not flinch when they could have.

            The game was played in typical eastern Washington wind and Cheney tried to take advantage of that by choosing the wind in the first half.  It paid off in the 12^th minute when Jeff Davis sent in a corner kick that found Chad Thornton on the back post.  Thornton knocked it past Josh Lindsey, playing in goal for Kyle McKenzie.  Two minutes later the Blackhawks had what looked like their 2^nd goal as Jesse Retan cut across the center, beat a diving Lindsey and cut back a left-footed shot towards the net.  Per Berg shot out of nowhere and cleared the ball off the line and out of play.  The Wolves hung tough and battled the Blackhawks, the wind and weariness throughout the remainder of the half.  Corey Wall finally rewarded the Wolves good effort with a beautiful goal 2 minutes before halftime.  Sent free down the right side by a Vann Brasher corner pass, Wall cut it in and beat keeper Josh Hooley into the upper far post corner.  Sequim got the wind in the second half and felt confident they could finish off the Blackhawks.  But Cheney played tough and despite great chances from Evan Still, kept the game scoreless through 90 minutes.  In the “Golden Goal” overtime, neither team could find the back of the net with Lindsey coming up big on a Blackhawk free kick in the 8^th minute and Joe Quan just missing as time ran out.  Quan also headed a dangerous cross off the goaline after it got over Lindsey in the first overtime period.

            Penalty kicks are never fun and in this case put a little sting in an otherwise tremendous season.  It was a year that will not be soon forgotten.

District 3 Champions!

 Sequim Wins Championship 1-0, Loses Schoessler to Injury

  May 15, 2004 – Highline Stadium, Burien

    Sequim brought home their first ever District 3 Soccer Championship with a 1-0 win over a worn out Highline Pirates Saturday night at Highline Stadium in Burien.  The Pirates, who took Pierce Division winners White River into overtime penalty kicks to get to the Championship, only occasionally threatened the Wolves goal.  In the first 5 minutes, Kyle McKenzie came out hard on a 50/50 ball and in the collision the ball popped out and drifted toward the Sequim goal.  Defender Allen Ohmert tracked it down and cleared it off the line to keep the game scoreless.  During the collision, McKenzie ended up with a thigh bruise and a bloody nose and was replaced by Josh Lindsey.  Kyle and Andy Chinn had arrived at the Stadium directly from the sub-District tennis tournament and we're pretty exhausted.  The Wolves then regrouped and began to attack the Pirate goal.  Kyle Schoessler chased a ball at the 10 minute mark deep in the Highline end and as he stepped in to block the clear from a Pirate defender, landed on his right leg and twisted his knee.  The preliminary diagnosis is cartilage damage and ligament strain.  The 6th game in 10 days was starting to leave a nasty swath of destruction in its wake.  Chinn replaced Schoessler and paid big dividends on 37 minutes.  With Vann Brasher sending in another laser corner kick, Joe Quan began his run to the ball.  Quan was a bit early and as the ball sailed past him, Chinn met it solid on the volley from the far post, sending it across the goal and in as a Highline defender couldn't quite knock it out.

    Morgan Carl and Ohmert along with Quan and Per Berg allowed the weak Pirate offense nothing until the last 5 minutes.  Breaking down the left side, Angel Lara cut inside, and then back out letting go a rocket left footer from just inside the 18.  Lindsey stepped up and made the big save to preserve the whitewash and send the Wolves to the top as the Champions of the West Central District!! 

    The Wolves begin the STATE TOURNAMENT on Tuesday or Wednesday at a site TBD.

ON TO STATE!!

 Sequim Eliminates Tough Kennedy 2-1 on Servin, Quan Goals

  May 13, 2004 – Highline Stadium, Burien

    Everything came together for the Wolves Thursday night, from breaking the "Elimination Stadium" curse to winning the game on a set piece that was actually practiced the day before, and including the winning goal coming minutes after Coach Brasher put on his magic purple vest.  Sequim eliminated Kennedy 2-1 in a loser-out District 3 State Qualifier.

    The first half was not pretty as the Wolves had perhaps too much adrenaline flowing and were playing big ball and dribbling into trouble.  Vann Brasher and Joe Quan received yellow card cautions for verbal dissent as they chipped at the center referee instead of playing.  Kennedy took the lead with less than 2 minutes remaining in the half when Jared Fernely took a long throw-in, shook Vann in the middle and hit a low shot from the right that barely beat Kyle to his right.  Sequim was not to be denied though. 

    After discussion about getting back to the game that got them here during halftime, the Wolves got it going and scored twice in the second half, the winner coming with 5 minutes remaining.  The equalizer came via hard work from center midfielder Mario Servin on 44 minutes.  Taking a little touch pass from Vann, Mario slipped the ball between two defenders right inside the 18, and attempted to follow the ball through.  A Lancer defender chopped Mario down and the referee immediately pointed to the spot.  Servin, uncharacteristically shot over to the spot and wanted to take the PK.  Sure as shootin' Servin had the keeper going every way but the right way as he buried it in the left corner.  The Sequim bench and fans erupted and momentum was in the lair.  During the halftime talk, Goalkeeper Kyle McKenzie kept saying, "Get it to the corner and if nothing else, kick it off their defender and get a corner kick.  We'll score on a corner kick".  There is wisdom that comes from watching many games over the years from the goal box.  True enough, on 75 minutes, Kyle Schoessler got the ball down the right side and knocked it off a Lancer defender to earn the only corner kick of the night for Sequim.  The "Leeds" set piece was set up and worked to perfection.  With the awesome Sequim fans, stomping their feet, ringing the cowbell and shouting, Vann Brasher launched a driving missile to the far post.  With 5 decoys running hard to the near post, Joe Quan timed his far post run with atomic clock precision and met the cross exquisitely, beating the keeper just inside the post.  The remaining 5 minutes were tense as Kennedy pressed with big balls that were repelled by Manuel and Morgan.  A dangerous Lancer free kick from the 20 yard mark with 2:20 remaining was snuffed by McKenzie.  The last minutes were run out with class as the Wolves passed it out of the back and even mounted scoring threats, the last coming from Per Berg down the left as the final whistle blew.

    The Wolves next have a seeding game Saturday @ 8:00 back at Highline Stadium and then the STATE TOURNAMENT starts Tuesday at a site TBD.

Sequim Perfect 13-0 

The Wolves Control Port Townsend 2-0 to Run The Nisqually League Table 

May 10,  Memorial Stadium, Port Townsend

  The Wolves celebrated a 13-0 perfect record in the Nisqually League by dining on a Port Townsend specialty, Waterfront Pizza, after burying the Redskins 2-0 at Memorial Field.  Joe Quan got the first goal after 25 minutes flying up the right side, taking a Corey Wall throw-in and beating the last defender before sliding the ball past Mark Pollack in the Townsend goal.   The Wolves controlled the half, getting off 9 shots to Port Townsend's 1.  Josh Lindsey, giving Kyle McKenzie a rest in net, played nicely, coming out off his line on numerous occasions to deny the Redskins even a shot attempt.

  Vann Brasher got the second goal of the game - his 1st of the year - in the 65th minute.  Brasher, who's been snakebit on the scoring side this year, nearly missed the open goal opportunity after Quan's long range shot was deflected out by keeper Pollack to Corey Wall who knocked a nice little pass to a charging Brasher.  Vann shot it hard and it came straight back to him off the post and he had to knee it back in .... whew!  Nathan Needham played the second half in goal and made one brilliant save off a blast by Gus Grefthen.  Needham got a hand on the blast, pushing it up and off the crossbar and flying harmlessly away ..... whew!

13-0 is a fine finish and hopefully the start to a nice play-off run!!

Bulldogs Irrigated By Wolves 6-0 

Sequim Goes Deep To The Bench And Dominates North Mason

May 8, Sequim

  Marching Band members Noah Brasher, Richard Baylon and Daniel Catton finished the 109th annual Irrigation Festival Parade and ran over to jump in the game.  Sequim used some call-ups from JV and rested some varsity players in this meaningless match.  Noah scored a left-footed highlight reel goal off an assist from Evan Still.  Controlling the hard cross from Still, Noah brought the ball off his thigh, let it bounce once and volleyed a drive into the corner.  Still added 2 goals of his own along with Corey Wall and 2 from Joe Quan.  Vann Brasher added 2 assists.

  Andy Chinn and Josh Lindsey played very well in the back.  Chinn, in his first defensive assignment, was stellar.  Repeatedly dribbling through the Bulldogs, Mario-like, Andy didn't score but did some nice work in setting up plays.  Chinn earned the OTPM.

Wolves Defeat Outmatched Cowboys 6-2  

Scoring Spread Evenly as Wolves Stretch Record to 11-0  

May 6,  Sequim

     With leading scorer Josh Brown watching from the bench with a broken toe, the Chimacum Cowboys looked like they would never threaten the Sequim goal.  The Wolves attacked right from the start and tested goalkeeper Alex Smith with shots from Evan Still and Noah Brasher.  It was 1- 0 after Still finished a Joe Quan shot that deflected off a Cowboy defender.  Mario Servin (assisted by Vann Brasher) and Bright Adjei (Noah) added tallies along with an own goal to give Sequim 4 goals before the break.  Chimacum surprised the Wolves with 2 first half goals on 2 attempts.  The first from Andy Itterley came after a break down the right side by hardworking Cole Travis.  Travis got the second after battling Manuel Servin and sneaking a short shot past reserve goalkeeper Nathan Needham.

  The second half was all Sequim, outshooting the 'Boys 13-1.  Goals from Per Berg, his first of the season, and Mario off an assist from Richard Baylon, rounded out the scoring.

Wolves Nudge Pirates 3-2 

Goals by Quan, Adjei and Still Keep Wolves Unbeaten 10-0

May 4, Vashon Island

  Facing "the best squad we've seen all year", according to Coach Brasher, the talented Wolves dug deep and pulled out a hard fought win over the Vashon Pirates Tuesday.  The Pirates were quick, knocked the ball around well and were the hardest tackling team Sequim's seen all year.  The Pirates scored first in the 21st minute when a coughing Per Berg turned the ball over on the left side.  Theo Khah took the ball down the side and sent in a low driving cross that Kyle Mac dove hard for.  Just out of his reach, the ball slid across the goal mouth to Ryan Meier who was closely marked by Joe Quan.  They both slid at the ball and in the tangle, the ball squirted in.  Sequim equalized in the 30th minute via a Quan free kick - and a little luck.  A 25 yard direct kick, the ball curled around the right side of the wall and was apparently stopped on a nice diving grab by Evan "Mad Dog" Mattingly in the Pirate goal.  As he got up, the ball trickled out and across the line for a 1-1 tie.

  Bright Adjei scored a brilliant goal 8 minutes into the second half to give Sequim a 2-1 lead.  Taking a lovely ball from Kurt Ludke up the middle, Owuraku gave the last Vashon defender a mind-numbing Ghanian hestition move, cut left and put a low liner into the right corner past a diving Mattingly.  The Pirates didn't fold, however, and tied it 2-2 on a Krah free kick nearly identical to Quan's.  McKenzie, battling a sinking sun, got in front of in but couldn't control it as it bounced off him and in.

  The winner was a thing of beauty.  With 10 minutes to go, Noah Brasher controlled a ball on the left side, held it and fed a streaking Vann Brasher coming up the middle.  Vann took it in stride, drew a defender and crossed it to Evan Still in the center.  Still collected it, pulled it left and slipped it past Mad Dog into the left corner.  The Wolves showed some real tenacity in realizing an underestimated opponent and rising to the level needed to win.  Again, Manuel Servin and Morgan Carl were very good in the back, repelling a strong Vashon attack, time and time again.  Owuraku earned the OTPM.

Wolves Stun Sentinels 3-0 

Olympic Leaders Topple Cascade's Top Team Handily to Move to 9-0

April 29, Sequim

  With the rallying cry of "Steilacoom, Get Up For It!" being shouted all week, the Sequim boys controlled the 7-2 Sentinels in a one-sided affair.  With a large, raucous crowd looking on, the Wolves looked sharp in handing Steilacoom their second straight league loss.  10 minutes in, Evan Still beat the last defender down the middle and was met hard by Steilacoom's onrushing goalkeeper, Steve Biddinger.  The collision left Still with a nasty thigh contusion and some serious pain.  Junior Casey Nagler came on and 3 minutes later received one of Joe Quan's dangerous long crosses from the right.  With a beautifully soft chest trap, Nagler brought it down and thumped it past Biddinger for a 1-0 Sequim lead. Quan was stepping up all night and sending in an array of crosses that had the Sentinels on their heels.  Good chances by Vann and Noah Brasher couldn't quite beat Biddinger and despite out-shooting Steilacoom 8-1 in the half, Nagler's goal was the lone tally.

  The second half was more Sequim workman-like pace as Vann Brasher continued to dominate the middle and Quan and Kyle Schoessler pushed the ball up the right and created dangerous chances.  Mario Servin finally got untracked and in the 51st minute, got away down the left flank and sent in an early cross that had Nagler in it's path.  Casey let it fly by to a streaking Corey Wall who settled it, and knocked in a tasty shot to the top far-post corner.  Kyle Schoessler added and insurance goal in the 88th minute with a low flame-thrower from the right off a nice assist from Wall.  Vann was named Oak Table Player of the Match as he made the Sentinels chase him all night.  Joe Quan was relentless in his attack from the back.  Both Manuel Servin and Morgan Carl helped Kyle McKenzie earn his fourth straight shut-out.

Cruising Past Eatonville 3-0 

Wolves Pepper Eatonville with 31 shots

April 27, Eatonville

  Sequim pounded Eatonville 3-0 in a viscious wind storm.  Taking 31 shots, some seriously wind-blown, some seriously off-target the Wolves were able to net 3 while not allowing the Cruisers past mid-field very often.  Evan Still started the scoring in the 26th minute, controlling a Noah Brasher cross, faking left and burying a low right-footed drive.  After another Baker's dozen errant shots, Mario Servin got his head on a blistering cross from Vann Brasher and flopped it past a beaten Cruiser Keeper.

  The second half was more of the same domination and Joe Quan added a third goal in the 65th minute.  Taking a throw from Still, Quan surveyed the field, then decided to shoot, driving a 25-yarder over the keeper, grazing the underside of the crossbar, and into the back of the net.  Allen Ohmert played well in the back along with Manuel Servin and Morgan Carl.  Tyler Linderoth and Corey Wall worked the sides nicely all game.

Wolves Get Narrow 1-0 Win Over Eagles 

Ludke's Early Goal Holds Up

April 22, Silverdale Stadium

  The Klahowya Eagles gave the Wolves a tough game in the bright sunshine and heat in Silverdale Stadium Thursday.  The Wolves out-shot the Eagles 11-8 for the game with Kurt Ludke's low far-post blast in the 16th minute  the only one that made it to the back of the net.  Set up by a Bright Adjei flick header, Ludke received the ball on the left side at about the 12-yard mark, and tucked it past Eagle keeper Bryce Wick for the tally.

  The Sequim defense, anchored by Manuel Servin and Morgan Carl, looked solid and more confident.  Keeper Kyle McKenzie was not bothered by much Klahowya pressure in posting his 4th shut-out.  The best Eagle chance came in the 33rd minute when an open Kevin Allen headed a corner kick just over the crossbar.  Carl received the Oak Table Player of the Match for his stingy defensive play.

Wolves Dominate Cowboys 6-0  

Chimacum Looks Lethargic at Best  

April 20, Sequim

     Even speedy Josh Brown, the Chimacum Cowboys leading scorer and senior leader, looked sleepy and slow as the Sequim Wolves wandered into HJ Carrol Park and hung a beating on the Cowboys.  Evan Still had one of the ugliest hat-tricks ever, scoring twice left-footed (one a deflection) and once with his head (tipped in by a defender).  Outshooting the Cowboys 34-7, Sequim could have worsened the score had some of the 13 errant shots been on goal.  Noah Brasher scored twice, once unassisted  and Bright Adjei added a Penalty to cap the scoring.  Vann Brasher, Still, Mario & Bright collected assists as they seemed to be able to dribble through any opposition thrown up by Chimacum.

     Kyle McKenzie, in the Sequim net, faced 7 shots and was forced to make two outstanding saves.  The first, in the 15th minute, came on an indirect free kick from the right side of the penalty area.  Cole Travis struck it cleanly and Mac tipped it off the crossbar.  The second, late in the second half, came on a slicing outside-of-the-foot bender from the right side that a diving Mac pushed off the far post.  Andy Chinn and Corey Wall also played nice games, consistently beating defenders down the flanks.

Wolves Handle Redskins 4-2  

Undermanned Port Townsend Hangs Tough 

April 15, Sequim

     A Port Townsend team shredded by injuries, hung tough for a respectable 4-2 loss to the Wolves.  Starting a few JV call-ups, the Redskins showed some spunk despite Kurt Ludke's goal just 40 seconds into the contest.  Finishing a slick corner feed from Evan Still, Ludke beat Sophomore goalkeeper Hollis Kenney far post to give Sequim an early 1-0 lead.  The PT defense, led by Mohawk-toting Drew Karada settled down and protected the net for the remaining minutes of the half.  Meanwhile the 1-man attack of the Redskins managed to equalize off a deflected shot from Gus Grefthen in the 26th minute.

      Casey Nagler got the Wolves the lead back in the 56th minute by finishing off a hard drive from Vann Brasher that Kenney was unable to control.  Joe Quan then gave Sequim a 2-goal cushion with a frozen rope that Kenney first saw when it hit the back of the net.   Quan took a pass from Brasher, shuffled a little right and let go a screamer from 22 yards that left PT a little scared. Substitute Bright Adjei then finished the Sequim scoring with a sweet drag-through goal, past onrushing Kenney, after receiving a nice through ball from Casey Nagler.

     Sophomore Cameron Taylor highlighted the Redskin evening in the dying minutes with a beautiful left footed half volley into the upper corner for the 4-2 result.

N.Mason Can't Derail Wolves 

Bulldogs Hold Wolves to 3 Goals but Score 0 as Mac Throws Shutout 

April 13, Belfair

  The Wolves peppered Mason's senior goalkeeper Dustin Hannifious with 28 shots, 10 of which were on net, and he could only stop 7.  With the Wolf defense of Quan, Berg, Ohmert and Carl bottling up speedy Stevie Degracia, the offense was free to shake off the soreness of the night before and work in a goal with 5 minutes left in the first half via the tenacity of Casey Nagler.  Nagler battled North Mason's center defender for control of a header, collected it and dished through to Kurt Ludke working his way down the left side.  Ludke pounded it home for a 1-0 halfime cushion.  Mario Servin got his 3rd goal in 2 nights at 53 minutes off a nice cross fom Ludke.  Joe Quan finished things off ,after working a slick 1-2 with Evan Still, with a monster blast that Hannifious nearly had his wrist removed by.  Quan worked hard all night to earn OTPM.

Wolves Pummel Foster 8-1  

Lights Out For Darko and Fellow Bulldogs 

April 12, Sequim

     Foster Goalkeeper Darko Slugic saw shots coming from all directions and despite 15 saves, got totally worked.  Kyle Schoessler opened the scoring in style with a picture perfect sprinting header off a wicked cross from Mario Servin.  Vann Brasher set Servin free down the left side and the cross hit a flying Schoessler for the 1-0 lead.  26 minutes later, at the 31 minute mark, greg tomason got loose behind Morgan Carl and after juking GK Kyle McKenzie got taken down by the recovering Sequim keeper.  Foster converted the following Penalty to equalize at 1-1.

     From that point on, it was all Wolves as Evan Still got the lead back 3 minutes later with a searing left foot rocket.  The 2nd half saw 6 more Sequim goals, 4 in 9 minutes, as Mario scored twice, Still got his second, Casey Nagler put one in and Corey Wall and Bright Adjei scored their first of the season.  Mario, the Oak Table Player of the Match, ended up with 2 goals and 3 assists, Schoessler had a goal and an assist, Still had 2 goals and an assist and Andy Chinn had 2 assists.

Wolves Drop Eagles 3-1  

Klahowya Game, But Succumb in Windy, Rainy Conditions 

March 25, Sequim

      In a game that saw Coach Brasher's cell phone ruined after torrential rain pooled up in his bag and shorted it out, the Wolves wore down a pretty tough Klahowha Eagle team, 3-1.  Sequim struck first in the 11th minute when Evan Still received a corner kick, sent it over to Per Berg who touched a nice little pass to Mario Servin who buried it in the left corner.  The Wolves dominated the first 10 minutes with Sophomore Noah Brasher, in his first home start, setting up Kyle Schoessler down the right numerous times and finally were rewarded with the goal.  The final 20 minutes of the first half were pretty shabby as the Wolf central defense looked suspect on at least 2 occasions and luckily escaped with Klahowya unfinished crosses.

       Klahowya knotted the contest in the 57th minute after some additional sloppy defensive work.  Center defender Manuel Servin, tracking back, got tangled up with an onrushing Kyle McKenzie with the ball squirting out down the left side.  The Eagle's Ryan George tracked down the free ball and popped it home for a 1-1 tie.  Sequim then worked hard to re-gain the lead and got it in the 65th minute.  Evan Still put a nice ball over to Kyle Schoessler on the right who then centered to Noah.  Brasher finished the work from about 6 yards out for his first varsity goal.  2 minutes later Schoessler was brought down in the penalty box for a PK which was stopped nicely by Eagle Keeper Bryce Wick.  The Wolves wrapped it up with a beautiful diving header by Joe Quan off a Vann Brasher corner kick.

Seahawks Drop Wolves 2-1 

Sequim Can't Overcome 2 Early Goals 

March 19, Peninsula HS, Gig Harbor

  The Wolves were stunned by 2 Seahawk goals in the first 5 minutes.  The first, by Jose Vega just 1:30 into the game, came on a cross from the left side that he controlled and slotted past Sequim goalkeeper Kyle McKenzie.  The second, at 5:00, was nearly identical. Peninsula forward Cameron Figliola took a low cross from Devon Ablitt down the left and tucked it in the right corner.  The Wolves then started getting into the game and pulled one back at 13:00 when Tyler Linderoth burst up the right flank, beat a Seahawk midfielder and threaded a beautiful ball through to a streaking Evan Still.  Still controlled the ball and drilled it past the statue-like goalkeeper, Kolt Putnam. McKenzie was called on to make a couple of strong saves to keep the game tight in the first half, including a 1 v 1 snuffing of Vega at 20:00.

  The second half was all Wolves.  A couple defensive adjustments seemed to bottle up the tired Seahawks and the midfield dynamos Mario Servin and Vann Brasher went to work.  With Linderoth charging up the right and Still working the middle hard Sequim outshot Peninsula 9-3 in the second half.  Good chances by Still, Casey Nagler and Kyle Schoessler just missed and the equalizer never came.