“Two games into the season, Oak Harbor High School girls soccer team is off and running. And scoring. And winning.Thursday, the Wildcats bested Squallicum 6-1 in a league game.The win was earned with strong defense play, relentless offensive pressure and the ability to react and adapt, said coach Guy Barber.Adapting to playing on an AstroTurf field was the first hurdle for the team, as Oak Harbor practices and plays on real grass. The ball moves faster on turf, requiring less power and more control.“It took us the first half … and part of the second to get adjusted and to get our touch,” Barber said. “But in the last 20 minutes, we put it all together.”Squallicum came out in a 3-4-3 formation – three marking backs, four mid-fielders and three forwards.“So we switched to a 3-4-3 to match theirs and started pressuring really well,” Barber said, noting that defense was key.“Our defense played real well … Kristin Harvey, Jaime Diaz and Hazel Sapida all had good games,” Barber said. “Sapida’s (a freshman) been a pleasant surprise.”Nikki Gamble, with 1 goal and 2 assists, stood out in a more spread-out Wildcat attack.“It gave us more passing lanes and more running lanes to utilize, and Nikki basically took charge of that situation,” Barber said.Katy Nydam, up front at checking back, followed a strong showing Tuesday against Stanwood with more of the same. “Katie had another outstanding game with 2 goals and 1 assist,” Barber said, adding several other Wildcats stepped up their games.They included Molly Bull at wing, with two goals and one assist; Brooke Severns at forward; Theresa Black with 1 assist and Jamie Armstrong with 1 assist.“I see a lot of potential and we’ll get better,” Barber said on Friday. “We were a little flat coming out last night and the girls know it but this was good.” Sept. 5 – Oak Harbor 6, Stanwood 0Wildcat goalie Tina Nicholas had little to do except try and stay warm on a chill night at Memorial Stadium last Tuesday, as the Wildcats blanked Stanwood, 6-0 in a non-league game.But if it was quiet for Nicholas – Stanwood mustered only 5 shots on goal —the rest of the team stayed busy.Sophomore forward Brooke Severns scored 4 goals aided by 3 assists from outside-mid Theresa Black. Gretyl Pruss scored 1 goal from forward and Jamie Armstrong accounted for 1 goal.The Wildcats pressed hard in the early minutes but could not score.“We were pressuring too much early on,” coach Guy Barber said. “But the shots were there and the intensity was very good.”And Katy Nydam, who combined relentless pressure and precision passing was one of the key factors, he added.“Katy was very aggressive, very good. She’s makes other players look good,” Barber said.Molly Bull was another force to be reckoned with, streaking past defenders when she wasn’t impeding traffic and closing lanes for Stanwood players. After the game, Bull said communication on the field was another factor.“We worked well together this game,” Bull said. “And we’re going to improve a lot.”Severns listed “good passing” as another key to the Wildcats’ win.“They were passing and communication well,” Barber said. “IT was a good win.”The Widcats’ next game is at 7 p.m., Sept 12 against Sehome at Memorial Stadium. “