Wildcats give M-P a fight before falling / Soccer

By Jim Waller • April 28, 2018 1:30 am

On paper, the match between the Western Conference’s first-place soccer team, Marysville-Pilchuck, and winless Oak Harbor looked like a rout, but the Wildcats held their own before falling to the visiting Tomahawks 3-0 Friday, April 27.

“We played great,” Oak Harbor coach Jeff Laiblin said. “We took the league’s No. 1 team to the limit.”

Marysville-Pilchuck scored early, and it looked like the powerful Tomahawks were going to dominate the match, but the Wildcats stiffened and blanked the visitors the rest of the half.

Oak Harbor created several opportunities to score, forcing M-P to clear the ball off the line and to Tomahawk keeper to make two big saves.

After the break, the Wildcats (0-11, 0-14-1) continued to get looks but couldn’t convert. As rain began to fall, Marysville-Pilchuck (10-1, 12-1-1) struck for “two unlucky goals,” according to Laiblin.

“We responded by creating more opportunities to score to get back in the game, but the league’s No. 2 defense kept us out,” he said.

“As their coach, I am proud of how they played,” he added. “Seniors Eric Closson, Andrew Eaton and Taylor Jackson played their best games of the year.”

Laiblin also lauded he efforts of goalkeeper Max Brighton, who, like the senior trio, “played his best game.”

“Mason Rhodes and Jaydon Wallace played solid games in the midfield, and the back line – Kanoa King, Ethan Snell, Diego Aranguri-Plummer and Taiveyon Shaw, and led by Ridgely Briddell – played great against the MP offense.”

The overall effort of the Wildcats points to a bright future, Laiblin said, with 15 of 18 players returning next year, including eight sophomores and a freshman.”

Oak Harbor finishes the season at 7:30 p.m. Tuesday, May 1, against Mountlake Terrace (5-5-1, 7-7-1) at Edmonds Stadium.