Even Stevens — a couple wins, then a couple losses — has been standard procedure for the Mount Si boys soccer team this spring.

Based on that rhythm, Mount Si should have had a win against Liberty Tuesday, April 28, after two straight losses. The ‘Cats hosted a team that beat them earlier in the season, and gave a performance that should have brought the win. But their failure to finish cost dearly, as Mount Si and Liberty ended in a 1-1 draw.

“We should have won that game, hands down,” an unhappy Mount Si coach Darren Brown said. “We had the ball in their half for I don’t know how much time. I wish I had a clock on it.”

For Brown, there were too many chances that Mount Si failed to execute.

“It’s disappointing,” defender Sam Evans said. “Even though we did tie, we really needed to come out with a win to secure a playoff spot.”

The Wildcats had many chances to break the ice early. Two stood out: a header in the 30th minute from Sam Joselyn, and a free kick in the 47th minute by Eric Baumgardner. Both shots glanced off the goal post.

Mount Si’s Kyle Bauman made sure his try wouldn’t find the same fate. Shortly after Baumgardner’s miss, Bauman got the ball, which had rebounded his way from near the net, and let it rip. The ball made its way past Liberty goalie Alex Woehlbrandt and put the Wildcats up 1-0 in the 49th minute. Evans was thrilled.

“It was beautifully hit for being as far out as he was,” a thrilled Evans said. “Those are more fun to watch than the ones that are scrambling around.”

The junior also thinks his team can learn a good lesson from this goal.

“If you take opportunities, good things will happen,” Evans said.

The Patriots weren’t down for long, though. In the 51st minute, on what was Liberty’s first shot on goal of the entire contest, Matt Filer punched it in past Mount Si goalkeeper Cody Tipton to tie the score.

Joselyn had a couple more opportunities late to win it, including a header off a free kick that followed a Filer yellow card for what appeared to be unsportsmanlike conduct.

But Woehlbrant was up to the challenge, saving those shots, and Liberty escaped with a point.

The 1-1 draw was the theme of the week, as the Wildcats had the same result with Sammamish on Friday, May 1. Mount Si needs to win both of their games this week in order to secure a playoff spot.

The Wildcats are at Juanita Thursday, May 7, for a 7:30 p.m. kickoff.