By GREG MARTIN

The third Annual Vashon Cup soccer game was played last Sunday under sunny skies on a slightly snowy field. This tournament has now been named the Ryan Krug Vashon Cup. Krug is remembered for many achievements, and his smile graced the first Vashon Cup just two years ago.

This annual game pits the oldest boys’ team from Vashon Island Soccer Club (VISC) against a selected Vashon men’s team. Four high school seniors, with assistance from the U17 Riptide coached by Oli Christopherson, took on an august group of 18 Vashon men.

Entry fees for the men were $10 and up, with bidding for the 11 starting positions to raise money for the Ryan Krug Scholarship Fund. With demand for starting positions brisk, the game raised $501.

The referee team was Peter Amick and Max Gross-Shader, who has refereed all three of these annual matches.

The game was closely fought, with the men taking an early lead, and the VISC team evening up for 1-1 at half. Goalie Ben Stemer made more than a few outstanding saves to keep the boys in it after the men scored another go-ahead goal. Tempers were hot in the aftermath of that goal with cries of offsides from the boys. Perhaps they were a little too vociferous, as Amick awarded a yellow card to one of their center midfielders. With the wind at their backs, the boys began to press, and with a focus on passing and possession, began to tilt the momentum in their favor. They tied it back up with a goal midway through, and then with five minutes left in the game, scored the winning goal.

The final score was VISC 3, Vashon Men 2. Goals were scored by Austyn Heit, Gabe Reoux and Bernard Cowen for the boys, and by Michael McMillan and Jim Westcott for the men.

It was a beautiful though cold day, and it was great to remember Ryan with the soccer community.

— Greg Martin an island soccer supporter.