Wolverines roundup

By Declan O’Malley

Journal contributor

Friday Harbor High School wrapped up its second week of fall sports action Sept. 15–20. Football played its first game of the year on the road, both soccer teams took to the pitch, and tennis and cross-country also competed.

Football

The Wolverines opened their season Sept. 5 with a 49-14 home loss to Cedar Park Christian. They followed Sept. 12 with a narrow 14-13 defeat on the road against East Jefferson in Port Townsend/Chimacum. On Sept. 19, they traveled to Cle Elum-Roslyn and fell 27-13.

“The previous game vs. Cle Elum was a tight game all the way through, but we slowed down in the fourth quarter,” head coach Shawn Kleine said. He added that maintaining a high level of play for a full game would be a point of emphasis in the coming week’s practices.

Boys Soccer

The boys’ soccer team started the week with a 2-0 win over inter-island rival Lopez, eager to reverse a recent trend of losses.

“Putting the sting of three losses to Lopez last year behind them, the Wolverines controlled the game from beginning to end and earned a 2-0 victory,” head coach Mike Horn said.

Led by two second-half goals from Abdul Guzman, FHHS played attractive possession soccer and shut down the Lopez attack, allowing no shots on goal. Jamison Maguire and Forrest Goodremont anchored a rock-solid back line.

In their next match, the Wolverines defeated La Conner 4-1 to move to 3-0 on the season.

Girls Soccer

Despite missing key starters, Friday Harbor rolled past Orcas Island 7-0 on Sept. 18 with a dominant offensive showing. Lyla Ovenell and Stella Carli each scored twice, Atziry Orozco added a goal and three assists, and several younger players recorded their first varsity stats. The defense allowed no shots on goal, giving goalkeeper Lola Clark her first clean sheet of the season.

“Hats off to the Orcas coaches and AD. It’s not easy to rebuild a dormant program, and they are doing it in a positive and enthusiastic way. A couple of years from now, they could be a force in our league,” head coach Bryan Leighton said.

On Sept. 20, the Wolverines traveled to Toledo for a nonleague match and, despite injuries and constant defensive pressure, held the game scoreless until the final 20 minutes, when Toledo netted the lone goal to win 1-0.

“The girls gave everything we asked of them,” Leighton said. “We went up against an opponent that had more firepower than we did with all our injuries, and we were able to withstand the blows for most of the match. That is the type of grit you have to display if you want to be one of the top teams in the state.”

The Wolverines continue to battle a tough run of injuries. Senior captains Charley Lawrence-Sampson (knee) and Norah Leighton (foot) remain sidelined, and sophomore striker Hazel Leighton is also out.

“We truly believe that at full strength, we can be a top team in the league. Right now our main focus is getting players back and ready to compete,” Leighton said.

Cross-Country

The cross-country team competed in multiple events during the week.

“We have had outstanding performances from Autumn Vaught, Lyla Frohm and Flora Compton,” head coach Al Turnbow said. “Autumn was our top finisher at the Gear Up NW, and Flora was our top runner at the South Whidbey Invitational and the Orcas league meet. Our depth is proving very formidable with Qwynne Rice-Morris and Rose Jensen putting in pack-leading runs.”

For the boys, key performances also stood out.

“The boys have been led by Neil Gresseth, a top-10 2B finisher in all of our races. Nick Taylor and Harrison Edge are following closely behind with solid races,” Turnbow said.

Boys Tennis

The boys tennis team competed against 2A Lynden and its JV squad on Sept. 18 in Whatcom County.

“The guys had a collegial round with a good group of players from Lynden and Meridian (which doesn’t have a tennis team and sends its players to Lynden),” head coach Kyle Loring said.

According to Loring, the Wolverines recorded limited wins, but each player had the opportunity to participate in several matches and gained valuable experience. The team focused on developing individual strengths and building consistency in their swings.