“It’s nice to win one on the old stomping grounds,” said Oak Harbor graduate Kyle Veach.

Unfortunately for his alma mater, Veach is now coach of the Stanwood High School soccer team that edged the Wildcats 1-0 Tuesday, March 26, at Wildcat Memorial Stadium.

Colin Cuchna scored the game’s only goal with just over three minutes left in the first half when an Oak Harbor player misdirected a header toward the Spartan goal.

Wildcat coach Brian Thompson said, “It is about as close to an own goal as you can get without actually hitting it in.”

Oak Harbor played well early but couldn’t connect, according to Thompson.

“We were beating them on the outside,” he said, “and Stanwood had to adjust.”

The game was as even as the score for most of the night, but when Oak Harbor needed to pick up its offense late, it was Stanwood who threatened.

Wildcat keeper Kevin Silveira was forced to make five saves in the final six minutes. Silveira finished with 11 saves; the Spartans (2-0, 3-0-2) had 16 shots to Oak Harbor’s 12.

The Wildcats came close to tying the match in the 76th minute when Alex Krantz just missed. His shot skipped off the crossbar and thumped the football goal post.

Thompson said, “I’m really happy with the game, it just went the other way. We played a tactically better game than the past two.”

The loss snapped Oak Harbor’s three-match winning streak.

The Wildcats (2-1, 3-2) go to Marysville-Pilchuck (1-0-1, 2-1-2) at 7:30 p.m. Monday, April.