Nisqually League

Too Little, Too Late?

Sequim Dominates Co-League Leading Redskins 4-0

May 10, 2005, Sequim

     There they are!  Look it's them, you know that Sequim team that could sneak up on people and do some damage in the post-season?  Those Wolves handed Port Townsend their worst loss of the season 4-0 before a nice crowd on Senior night.  Seniors Casey Nagler and Evan Still each had a goal in each half for the final margin.

  After a typical Nagler tenacity goal on 10 minutes (chased and poked in a ball after a scramble in front) and a PK from Still on 36 minutes the Redskins were looking defeated.  Pulling it together at halftime, the 'Skins came out firing and Josh Lindsey was called on to make multiple saves to deny the comeback.  A make-up PK call was awarded to Port Townsend on 50 minutes and Keenan Johns stepped in the spotlight.  Lindsey shattered the light with a slapback stop that breathed life back into the fading Wolves. 

  Nagler then showed why he is the new single season goal scorer for Sequim.  His 17th of the season was a beauty.  Kurt Ludke lofted a little through ball over the defense that center defender Ryan Moss seemed to have position and angle on.  But Nags poked his big right boot at the ball, pushed it left where only he could get it, slipped between Moss and the ball and crushed a left-footer into the back of the net. The final tally on 60 minutes was every bit as beautiful.  Senior Per Berg started up the left side out of his defender position and saw some space.  Chewing it up with speed, Berg got to midfield and saw something nice.  Still had started a run down the right and only had one defender between himself and the ball.  Berg's pass was alive as it seemed to taunt the defender trying, off-balance to stop it as it sped up past him.  Evan received the ball in stride, turned on his unexplainable speed and pounded the finish through the keeper and defender trying to chase him down.

  The Senior defense of Dan Catton, Manuel Servin, Morgan Carl and Per Berg shut down the Redskins the rest of the way.  Richard Baylon and Kurt Ludke played super games in the midfield as the Wolves are hoping for some help in getting to the post-season.

  If the play-offs aren't to be, this was an excellent game to end on.  All the seniors played unbelievably well and the team showed how good soccer is meant to be played.

Sequim 2 Cascade 1.5

May 3, 2005, Sequim

  The Wolves got a win in a must win game via a little help from the Cascade defense.  #17 (I'd tell you his name but Berg keeps my rosters) attempted to head out a nice lofting service from Per Berg with 13 minutes remaining and it ended up in his own net and turned out to be the game winner.  The Cougars were rough and aggressive and gave the Wolves all they could handle.

  Sequim opened the scoring on 13 minutes when Noah Brasher sent a through ball up the middle to Nisqually League leading scorer Casey Nagler.  Nags took it in, cut to his left around the Cougar GK and tucked in a nice finish.  The Wolves missed on a couple other early opportunities that would have helped give them a cushion.  The Cougars hung around and kept GK Josh Lindsey busy putting 18 shots at the goal and forcing him to make 12 saves.  The Cougars got the Equalizer 20 minutes into the 2nd half when Rob DeGaunier collected a near-post corner kick and slid it past a sleeping Sequim defense and a 1-1 knot.

  The Sequim defense of Manuel Servin, Morgan Carl, Per and Izaak Berg did a good job of bottling up the aggressive Cougar attack.  Evan Still and Tyler Linderoth looked sharp in their return from injuries.  Andy Chinn controlled the middle well, although he was snake-bit shooting on goal, with a PK miss and a couple other golden opportunities put just wide.

Wolves Leash Bulldogs 5-0

April 29, 2005, Belfair

     Sequim had too much for a game North Mason Bulldog squad Friday as the Wolves outshot the 'Dogs 22-3.  Noah Brasher scored the game winner 20 minutes into the first half when Andy Chinn brought the ball down the right side, slid a nifty little pass to Ivan Michalec along the endline who knocked it back to the middle for the onrushing Brasher to finish.  The remainder of the game was all Wolves as the brother defensive tandem of Izaak and Per Berg along with fill-in left back Kurt Ludke played their finest match of the season.  Dealing with shifty forward Francisco Lamas, Per Berg pretty much nullified anything he tried.  The D only allowed the ball to get to GK Nathan Needham only 3 times.  Leading scorer Casey Nagler got it going next with a nice finish of a Chinn feed up the middle on 35 minutes.  Nagler, who worked hard all night getting the ball and beating people down the right, started the 2nd half with a sweet header off a Ludke corner kick drive.  Michalec tallied next with his first of the season when a Brasher shot from the left was deflected back to the middle.  Ivan found the ball in front of an open net and didn't miss.

  Ludke finished it off 3 minutes from the end with a Magic near coast to coast run, beating 4 Bulldog defenders before crushing the shot low and hard.  The Wolves now begin the play-off run.  Hopefully as injured players return and confidence builds we can make a May run to remember.

Wolves Drop Cruisers 3-1

April 26, 2005, Sequim

     The Wolves continued their win streak Tuesday, stretching it to 2 games with a thoroughly dominating victory over the Eatonville Cruisers.  Outshooting the Cruisers 25-1, the score should have been worse than it was.  The beginning was a bit dicey as within the first minute and a half, the Cruisers sent in a long ball that Manuel Servin stepped up to clear.  The usually sure-headed Servin had the ball glance of the top of his head, and land at the foot of a Cruiser at the edge of the 6-yard box.  Between GK Nathan Needham and defender Per Berg nothing happened and in the ball went for a 1-0 Eatonville lead.  The lead held up under an onslaught of Sequim pressure that finally cracked the Cruiser armor at 17 minutes. Noah Brasher sent in a corner kick that found the streaking Andy Chinn at the near post.  Chinn met it squarely and headed it low and through the defenseless keeper.  The Wolves grabbed a 2-1 lead on 30 minutes, when Kurt Ludke picked up a ball on the right side, pushed it toward the middle at about the 25 yd mark and let go a dandy left footer that nicked the inside of the right goalpost on its way to the back of the net.

  Casey Nagler got into the act in the 2nd half poking in an ambitious try from distance by Richard Baylon.  Baylon's shot deflected off a Cruiser defender and the ever-present long-toe Nagler was there for the finish.  The Wolf defense was solid and never let the Cruisers into the final third of the pitch and closed them out 3-1.  Jake Brantley put in some solid minutes in the midfield as did Josh Lindsey.

Confidence Builder 2-0

  Wolves Shake Eagles in Re-Match

April 23, 2005, Silverdale Stadium

Casey Nagler, solid mid-field play from Andy Chinn and Tyler Linderoth, and water-tight defense led by Manuel Servin and Morgan Carl combined to give the Wolves a much needed shot in the arm, kick in the butt, gas in the tank or whatever other cliché you want to give a down-low team that earns a nice win.

Holy Crap! Another PK Loss

  Cardinals Dump Wolves As PK Kickers are Abysmal

April 231 2005, Sequim

In a match that should have never got to Penalty Kicks, the Wolves made Orting GK Victor Cruz look like Fabien Barthez as the "Broad Side of a Barn" was never hit by anyone.

Pirates Steal PK Win 3-2

April 19, 2005, Sequim

I can't write it yet.

Eagles Claw Wolves 3-1

April 14, 2005, Silverdale Stadium

It had been 2 years to the day and 21 games since Sequim had last tasted Nisqually League defeat.  The taste was bitter and even Nathan Needham's screaming blast of a goal right before halftime wasn't enough to wipe the taste off the tongue.  Klahowya struck first at 24 minutes when Ryan Simcic cut across the middle from right to left and launched a teasing 25 yard left-footed floater that caught GK Josh Lindsey a bit too far out.  That lit a fire under the Eagles and 2 minutes later hard-working midfielder Josh Lane threaded a nice ball through to Freshman Daryn Reinertson on the right side who tucked it past Lindsey for a 2-0 advantage.  The Wolves regrouped and on 36 minutes, Casey Nagler settled under a ball from Andy Chinn, headed in on to an onrushing Needham who cannoned the half-volley past a stunned GK Bryce Wick.  Needham's searing goal celebration left the whole stadium in amazement and seemed to be the shot in the arm the Wolves needed.

  The enthusiasm faded 11 minutes into the 2nd half when Eagle Elias Cook took a deflected clearing ball, sliced through the left side of the Wolf defense and again tucked it low and to the right of a riddled Lindsey for a 3-1 advantage.  Sequim stayed tough and had some nice chances in the last 15 minutes, with Kurt Ludke forcing Wick to make a nice diving save on a blast from the left, Casey Nagler getting denied by the crossbar off a shot from the center, and Andy Chinn being forced over the endline after pulling Wick out of position.

  The Wolves must now start a new streak that hopefully lasts as long.

Falcons Head Past Wolves in Stoppage Time

DCat (or Lindsey?) Knock in Own Goal

April 2, 2005 - Whidbey Island

 The South Whidbey Falcons beat Sequim 2-1 on an 82nd minute header off a corner kick on Saturday.  Missing Morgan Carl and Richard Baylon, the Wolves outplayed the Falcons for most of the game but couldn't convert a 2nd goal that would have iced things and left the Islanders cold.  Casey Nagler opened the scoring in the 37th minute, heading in an Ivan Michalec corner kick.  The 1-0 lead looked to be safe as Nathan Needham in goal and Dan Catton at center D (substituting for Carl) were putting in solid performances. 

  But in the 65th minute, Catton got squeezed between 2 Falcon attackers on a long throw-in and his header eluded Needham and ended up in the Wolf twine.  Coach Brasher thought the own goal came from Josh Lindsey but Lindsey quickly laid the blame on DCat.  " I wasn't even near the ball.  Get some eyes, Coach." said a bitter Lindsey.  Coach Brasher looked to be waiting for a draw, as the coaches had agreed to go straight to PK's to decide a tie.  "We need the PK experience" said Brasher.  But it was not to be, as an unmarked Falcon headed home the winner from the back post just before the final whistle.  That's why you have to play tough for all 82 minutes.

Wolves Slug(ic) It Out Over Foster

  March 31, 2005 - Foster Stadium

  With All-League GK prospect Darko Slugic protecting the net, Sequim travelled to Foster to try and shake up their sputtering offense.  In their 2 wins, the Wolves have 14 goals but in the 2 losses and tie, they have mustered only 3.  On Foster's newly installed FieldTurf, Sequim had 4-5 decent early chances as Richard Baylon, Evan Still and someone else ripped shots wide or over, not even testing Slugic.  The early tossed away chances looked to haunt the Wolves when in the 30th minute, a Gremlin from the deposed old grass field reached up and tripped Kamal Matan as he slashed inside the Sequim penalty area.  Referee Wain Jackson saw the Gremlin in the shape of Morgan Carl hack Matan down and awarded a PK.  Matan took a very nice Penalty, sending Josh Lindsey the wrong way for a 1-0 Foster lead.  Having controlled the first 30 minutes and being down 1-0 didn't suit the determined Wolves.  A great combination on 35 minutes equallized 1-1.  Casey Nagler controlled a ball from Noah Brasher in the middle, turned to his right and flicked a little ball over Evan Still's marking defender sending Evan free to chase.  Evan battled the defender for the ball as they bore down on Darko and fired through and around him, into the back of the net, as all 3 ended up on the turf.  It was a great goal.

  The Wolves pressured into the second half and got the go ahead tally on 65 minutes.  As Baylon waited to re-enter the game for a lazy Izaak Berg, Berg's laziness paid off.  Berg who was refusing to get back on defense, found himself alone on the left when a cross from Andy Chinn was headed over to him by Noah Brasher.  Berg floated a sweet lob over an onrushing Slugic and a 2-1 lead.  The Wolves continued to control the game and the defense of Tyler, Per, Morgan and Manuel never really let GK Lindsey be tested.  Nagler got the clincher in the 89th minute when he took in a punt from Lindsey, touched it past the 6'6" Semir, chased it down and beat Slugic into the far corner.  It was a well played and hard-fought 3-1 win for the Wolves.

ThunderBirds Hit Mach 3 Over Wolves

  March 30, 2005 - Shoreline Stadium

  The Shorewood Thunderbirds showed Sequim why they were 4A State tournament participants last year with a thoroughly impressive 3-0 win.  At home on their old-school smooth AstroTurf, the T-Birds got things going on 14 minutes when All-American George Johns came forward on a corner kick and headed home the well struck cross.  Johns, recently signed by the University of Washington, controlled the tempo from center defense with pinpoint passing and control that left the Wolves miss time after time.  On 30 minutes, left midfielder Matt Milne picked up a loose ball on the left, beat Izaak Berg and Noah Brasher and fired a nice blast in past Nathan Needham in the Sequim goal.  Sequim had a few nice chances with Evan Still putting a header on at 16 minutes and Nagler nearly slipping a poke past GK Rob Diederichs on 65.

  Shorewood got their final tally in the second half on a defensive lapse through the middle.  Stefano Johnson shook Manuel Servin, who had no help, cut in at about the 20 and let go a weak shot that a screened Needham saw roll in to the back of the net.  The Wolves stayed tough until the end, with Per Berg and Tyler Linderoth making effective penetrating runs deep into Shorewwod territory.  Sequim was unable to break the Shorewood defense, though, and the final held at 3-0.

Chimacum Slips, Wolves Devour Them 9-1

  March 29, 2005 - Sequim Stadium

  The Cowboys came to Sequim with just 11 players hoping to knock off the reigning Nisqually League Champions.  Their dreams were shattered just 30 seconds in when Evan Still pumped home a 20 yd shot from the right that left GK Josh Johnson flat-footed.  Their dreams turned to nightmares for the remaining 79:30 as Sequim tallied 8 more and easily could have had twice that.  The lone bright spot for Chimacum was sophomore Cole Travis who floated in a 35 yard hot air balloon from the right over a comatose Josh Lindsey in the Sequim net, 30 minutes in.

  Still ended with 3 goals, Andy Chinn had a goal and 2 assists, Noah Brasher had 2 goals and Casey Nagler, Jhonathan Pennington and Richard Baylon added solo tallies.  The best thing about the new league schedule is that we only have to play Chimacum once.

Bainbridge Knots Wolves 1-1

  March 22, 2005 - Sequim Stadium

  In a tough early season tussle the Spartans from Bainbridge escaped from Sequim with a 1-1 tie despite being awarded 2, count 'em 2, penalty kicks.  Strangest of a set of strange calls from the head referee were the 2 PK's as in both cases, guilty party Morgan Carl was befuddled to say the least.  Anyway, in a slow defensive 1st half, the 38th minute Bainbridge PK was converted as keeper Nathan Needham chose a side and the kick was blasted down the center.

  Sequim continued to defend well with Tyler Linderoth on the right and Per Berg on the left turning aside every attack the Spartans could muster.  The Wolves kept pressing in the 2nd half and were rewarded in the 58th minute when Evan Still controlled the ball near midfield and sent through a brilliant ball to a streaking Kurt Ludke down the left.  Ludke, back from a sore back, took it in stride and unleashed a far post dart that ripped the side netting. On 66 minutes the Spartans had their 2nd PK and perhaps keeper Josh Lindsey had the psych on, starting off-center (ala KMac), as the cocky Bainbridge kicker pushed it way wide.  On 85 minutes, Ludke had a similar chance to his goal but couldn't convert.

  It was a good non-league result and one the Wolves can learn from.  Come play-off time, if the defense is playing as well and the offense gets untracked, it should be fun to watch.

Vikings Plunder Wolves 3-2

  March 21, 2005 - Viking Stadium, Poulsbo

  Sequim sauntered into Viking Stadium in Poulsbo Monday night trying to establish North Olympic dominancy by beating the North Kitsap Vikings.  The Viks had other ideas and when the dust settled NK sent the Wolves back to their lair with a 2-3 defeat.

  The Vikings were hot out of the gate with Johnathon Critch slicing in from the left at the 3 minute mark, taking in a smooth low cross from the right and flicking a mooky little floater over an onrushing Josh Lindsey in goal.  The Wolves took exception and equalized at the 8 minute mark.  Evan Still did all the work, blocking a clearing attempt on the NK left, picking up the loose ball, juking a Viking defender to the ground, carrying the ball in to the right of the goal and delivering an easy cross to Casey Nagler who tapped in the finish.  6 minutes later Still again did the table-setting, sending a nice through ball up the middle, splitting the Viking defense and setting Nagler free with the NK keeper.  Freshman keeper Devin Langaker made the initial save, but Nagler was persistent and buried the rebound for a 2-1 Sequim lead.  The Vikings did not, however, cave in and at 20 minutes a low shot from the top of the 18 was heading wide when a streaking Critch re-directed past a bewildered Lindsey and a 2-2 tie.  Evan threatened to give the Wolves the lead back at 27 minutes on a tremendous individual effort that ended with a dent in the left goalpost after his rocket blast from the right side of the 18 yard box collided with it.

  Sequim's attack in the second half was rushed and panicky, while the Vikings did more nice work with passing build-up and good crosses through the middle.  Morgan Carl and Manuel Servin cleaned up most of the messes, but at 59 minutes Carlos Portillo took in a cross and sent in a nice shot from the center, over Lindsey and into the back of the net for the game-winner.

Wolves Rout RoughRiders 7-0, Have Mercy!!!!

March 19, Civic Field - Port Angeles

  You have to go back to April 6, 1998  when Kyle Kiesser, Justin Connell and Kelly Hardin, plus a questionable referee decision combined to give Sequim a 3-2 victory over the archrival RoughRiders from Port Angeles.  Since then it's been nothing but futility in 9 consecutive matches until Saturday afternoon.  On Saturday the depths to which PA soccer has fallen were blatantly exposed as the Wolves cruised past them 7-0.  The rout was emphasized by a 19-3 shot advantage and nearly every 50/50 ball going the Wolves way.

  Casey Nagler led the way with 4 goals, 3 in the first half alone.  Andy Chinn had the other first half goal on a lovely volley after a free kick was headed back to him by Evan Still.  Still had his own goal in the second half, putting back a loose ball after a shot was not controlled by the PA keeper.  Per Berg added a decent floating goal from the left and Nagler finished things off with a sliding finish off a Berg cross.

  It was hard to tell whether the Wolves were that good or the RoughRiders that bad - maybe a little of both.  The next couple of days and games will shed some light on the situation.