The Vashon girls’ varsity soccer team, at the midway point of the season, is tied for 2nd place in the division with a record of 5-2.
They split their last 4 games winning against Seattle Christian (6-0) and Cascade Christian (4-1) while losing a heartbreaker to division nemesis Bellevue Christian (1-2) as well as to last years’ state champions, Klahowya (0-3).
The Pirates have recorded 5 shutouts this season and outscored their opponents 27-5.
Asked about this goal differential, Coach Scott Nicolino said: “Our stingy defense, led by junior Meah McInerney, senior Zoe Nowicki and freshman Lilith Provo, has definitely stood out as an early season bright spot after graduating two 4-year varsity defensive starters last spring. Provo is a defensive menace.”
“Our midfield has been equally as strong thanks to the incredible skill and high soccer IQs of Linnea Heuschert, Olivia Boyes, and Kate Spranger”, Nicolino said.
Five of the seven games this season have been played at Vashon High’s beautiful stadium with four home games remaining. Considering the ferry woes, it has been great not having to travel off-island. Vashon’s faithful fans have been rewarded with furious and inspired action.
Ivy Staczek has continued to excel in her keeper position. The three goals scored by Klahowya were all masterfully placed powerful shots nearly grazing the top bar just beyond the fingertips of Staczek.
Lena Puz, against Bellevue Christian, after getting tangled up in a defenders’ legs, treated the crowd to a beautiful forward aerial somersault. Landing on her feet, she continued to race downfield to the amazement of her teammates, the opposition, and the fans alike.
For those not able to attend in person, home and away games can be heard live (101.9 FM) or streamed on Voice of Vashon. Commentators Oscar and Jamie Lopez along with David Leonhardt bring the action to life on the radio with colorful, waxing, and energetic voices reminiscent of the glory days of Monday Night Football greats Frank Gifford and Dandy Don Meredith.
Fans have also noticed that certified trainer Ryan Jaeger has been extremely busy, with many players playing heavily wrapped and taped.
“This year has been unusually brutal when it comes to injuries,” Nicolino said. “We’ve been in the midst of playing without 6 of our varsity starters. … We are blessed to have a little bit of depth allowing us to plug some of our injury holes. The adversity that we have faced this season because of all of the injuries will make us a better, more cohesive, and well-rounded team”.
“We lost junior Besa Hruska, our talented striker and leading goal scorer from a year ago to a season ending knee injury in the second game of the year while our other starting forward, Mallory Keenan, is still on the injured list, so we are still in the process of converting a few midfielders into forwards,” coach John Thomas said. “Solid performances from seniors Rose Peterson, Alex Waterworth and Junior Natalie Vickers are beginning to fill the forward role.”
Playing against the undefeated Klahowya Eagles highlighted areas where the Pirates need to improve. It was a rough-and-tumble game, with the Pirates being outplayed both physically and in quickness. The fans glimpsed snippets of what they were capable of, but Vashon couldn’t stay with the Eagles for the full 80 minutes. Vashon had several fierce rushes as well as corner kicks that netted zero. They needed to convert those opportunities to compete with the state champs.
“We went into the season with more of an attack-mindset than in past years,” Thomas said. “This includes pushing forward seniors Alana Bass and Linnea Heuschert. These returning Nisqually league award-winning players will be hard for any team in the state to contain. We’re confident these moves will pay dividends coming into the playoff season.”
The Pirates will get another shot at Klahowya on October 26 in a game that is also “Senior Night,” and the last regular season game for over half of the Pirates varsity team.
