The Wolves have picked a perfect time to get stingy.
Sequim’s boys soccer squad posted its fifth shutout in as many games with a 1-0 blanking of 3A foe Olympic on April 27, giving the Wolves their eighth win of the season.
With just one game left in the regular season – a May 5 date with their rivals in Port Angeles – Sequim has all but locked up the Olympic League’s No. 1 seed in the 2A division.
The Wolves got a boost from their foes in Port Townsend, who beat Kingston 1-0 on April 30. Kingston’s Buccaneers can only hope Sequim loses their game at Port Angeles (results were unavailable at press time) and they win their final two games to reclaim the league’s top 2A spot.
Sequim is seeking to recapture the league 2A title they won in 2007.
The No. 1 seed has the advantage of taking on the Nisqually League’s lowest seed (No. 3 Washington) at a bi-district tournament in Silverdale. A No. 2 seed gives either
Sequim or Kingston a match-up against Fife that same day in Silverdale.
A win there puts Sequim into the class 2A state playoffs that start May 22.
Facing Olympic’s Trojans for the first time this season, Sequim needed just one score and it came from Aldo Garcia. At 33 minutes, Sequim’s Evan Watkins took a corner kick that got knocked around and bounced out to Gerry Azanza who fed a pass to Garcia to net his third goal of the 2009 campaign.
Goalkeeper Matt Bedinger helped secure the Wolves’ fifth consecutive shutout and seventh consecutive victory.
Sequim hasn’t been scored upon since April 17.
"I felt the most comfortable I’ve felt in a 1-0 game," Sequim coach Dave Brasher said. "I didn’t think (the Trojans) had any chance. We were defending really well. We had multiple opportunities."
With starting forward David LaBeaume nursing a top-of-the-foot injury, Brasher is seeking others to step up and share the scoring load. It’s something the Wolves are used to. Although LaBeaume leads the team with seven goals this season, the Wolves have seen 13 different players score, seven of those with at least two scores.
"We’ve gotten goals from everywhere," Brasher said. "I think that’s the way it’s going to be. They’re all capable."
The Wolves haven’t faced the Washington’s Patriots this season, but the two have had a common opponent in 2009. On March 16, Washington opened the season with a 1-0 win against Cascade Christian. Sequim beat Cascade Christian 4-1 in a mid-April, nonleague game.
Reach Michael Dashiell at miked@sequimgazette.com.
Olympic League standings (as of April 29)
Team League Overall Points
North Kitsap 8-0-1 9-2-1 25
Sequim 8-2-1 9-3-1 25
Port Townsend 8-4-0 9-5-0 24
Kingston 7-3-0 8-4-0 21
Bremerton 3-3-3 4-5-3 12
Port Angeles 3-5-1 4-9-1 10
Olympic 2-6-2 3-8-2 8
North Mason 2-8-0 2-9-0 6
Klahowya 0-9-0 0-13-0 0
