Soccer practice for the Pirates was anything but routine Monday, April 25, as Seattle Sounders Nate Jaqua and Taylor Graham met the team at the Vashon High School field.
The high school players benefited from professional tips of the Major League Soccer players, who ran and demonstrated shooting during a team exercise and gave the boys individual attention.
Jaqua, who has a solid fan following on the Island and has been to Vashon multiple times before, clearly enjoyed being with the boys.
Two days later, the Pirates took on Cascade Christian and tied them, 1-1, in a well-fought game in freezing rain conditions at the Sumner stadium.
Vashon pressed Cascade Christian, outshooting them. However, deflected balls and high balls over the bar did not permit for additional results.
Senior Nick Fox-Edele had the precision that night, with Ezra Koenig assisting, demonstrating the teamwork that has been beneficial for success.
On Friday the rain held off, and the Pirates celebrated a 7-0 victory at home against Life Christian. Vashon dominated the match and now sits firmly in second place in the Nisqually League.
The game started strong with the Pirates dominating as senior forward Dominik Stemer fed the ball up to Koenig, who put it in the net in the third minute. Five minutes later, Koenig scored again with an assist by Jackson McFall.
With continued momentum, Fox-Edele made his first of two goals for the game. At the conclusion of the first half, Stemer had scored again for the Pirates.
The second half saw the Pirates dominate, accruing three more goals (Fox-Edele, Koenig, and McFall with assists by Silagi and O’Neil). A hat trick resulted out of a third goal for midfielder Koenig.
Any attempts at a goal by Cascade Christian were consistently halted by freshman keeper Philip Vandevanter’s quickness, resulting in yet another shut out for Vashon.
The varsity team played Chimacum at home on Tuesday, and will take on Seattle Christian at Valley Ridge in Sea Tac on Wednesday, May 4.
The boys hope to be in good shape for the May 10 tri-district playoff, which will be an elimination game.
— Karen O’Neil is the mother of a Pirate soccer player.
