Girls soccer fights hard in postseason play

The Friday Harbor Lady Wolverines’ soccer season has come to an end in the postseason after a winning regular season.

With six league wins and three losses this season, the team made it all the way to the first round of the Washington State 1B/2B playoff tournament. After beating Evergreen Lutheran 3-0 in the 1B/2B District Tournament at Sammamish High School on Nov. 6, the team lost to Mount Vernon Christian 4-0 on Nov. 9 but still maintained their spot in the state tournament.

During the state tournament in Centralia on Nov. 16, the team matched up against Onalaska. The Lady Wolverines played hard and started the game off strong with a goal by junior Fallon Taylor but were overtaken by Onalaska who scored two goals soon after. Even with another goal by Taylor, the ending score wasn’t what they’d hope for and Friday Harbor fell 4-2.

“The girls were always in it,” Head Coach Paul Hopkins said. “They never gave up and kept getting quality opportunities. The ball just didn’t end up in the back of the net.”

This year the team was missing quite a few of last year’s experienced players.

“This was a new team in the world of high school athletics,” Hopkins said. “We lost 10 players from last year’s team to graduation or foreign exchange.”

Even with a group fairly new to playing together, Hopkins said he was impressed with his team and how far they made it this year.

“The girls should be very proud of not only going to the final eight in the state tournament but giving the number one seed in District Four a battle,” said Hopkins. “It’s a bright future for Friday Harbor Girls Soccer.”

With five graduating seniors this year — Ally Pauls, Joanna Evans, Katie Place, Bailee Lambright and Fionnoula Bourne —the team will rely on its up-and-comers to round out next season.