The Oak Harbor High School soccer team entered the season with the confidence it could play with the region’s best teams. Though the Wildcats lost 2-0 at Glacier Peak Wednesday, April 9, they confirmed that belief.

Glacier Peak (4-0-1, 6-0-1), coached by Oak Harbor graduate Kyle Veach, is ranked second in the state 3A poll and is one of a handful (including Oak Harbor) quality teams in the powerful Western Conference.

Playing without two starters, Oak Harbor went toe-to-toe with the Grizzlies. GP finally broke the scoreless tie when Connor Seed converted a penalty kick after a foul in the box in the 68th minute.

Seven minutes later, the Grizzlies (Branson Corwin) scored again to secure the win.

“All our players did very well,” coach Brian Thompson said. “We played them straight up for 68 minutes. Kevin Silveira made some amazing saves, keeping us in the game.”

“This was one of those games where we lost the war but won the battle,” Thompson added. “We had been struggling to get our game up to speed, and tonight we won that battle and played fast and with heart. We played 68 minutes head-to-head with one of the best-ranked teams in the state.”

Oak Harbor (3-2, 4-2-1) should be back to full strength, Thompson said, when it goes to Arlington (0-7, 0-8) for a nonleague match at 7 p.m. Friday, April 11.