Spartans conquer Wildcats in state playoff game on soccer pitch

Mount Si soccer team finishes the 2018 season with 11 victories.

By Shaun Scott • May 16, 2018 4:38 pm
Photo courtesy of Calder Productions Mount Si senior forward Alec Bothwell, right, tries to maneuver around Sumner midfielder Ryan Griffith in the first round of the Class 4A state soccer playoffs on May 15 at Sunset Chev Stadium in Sumner.
Photo courtesy of Calder Productions Mount Si senior forward Alec Bothwell, right, tries to maneuver around Sumner midfielder Ryan Griffith in the first round of the Class 4A state soccer playoffs on May 15 at Sunset Chev Stadium in Sumner.

The emotions were evident along the sideline of the Mount Si Wildcats’ boys soccer team following the final contest of the 2018 season.

Sumner defeated Mount Si, 2-1, in the first round of the Class 4A state soccer playoffs on May 15 at Sunset Chev Stadium in Sumner. Mount Si finished the 2018 season with an overall record of 11-6-3.

Wildcats’ freshman Rom Or found the back of the net for a goal (22nd minute), giving his team a 1-0 lead. Or scored after receiving a proficient pass from midfielder Kyle Hunter. Sumner tied the game on an Alex LaBarge goal in the 26th minute. With just 14 minutes left in regulation, Sumner forward Mitchell Hunter scored the go-ahead goal (66th minute) for the Spartans. Mount Si had two shots on goal in the final seven minutes of play but couldn’t score the equalizer, which would have forced overtime.

“It is tough. We wanted to go on so bad and get to that next round. I honestly think that we were better, we just didn’t execute,” Wildcats head coach Darren Brown said. “We didn’t play our style and didn’t play to the feet enough. That was costly for us.”

Mount Si, which is known for its physicality, frustrated Sumner throughout the duration of the game.

“We know that it’s there and you have to be able to compete that way because it does change the game,” Sumner head coach Todd Murray said of Mount Si. “We kept it fresh in our mind that it was going to be part of the game. Mount Si has a special team with special athletes.”

Despite the loss, Brown couldn’t have been prouder of how far his squad came during the 2018 season.

“It was a great season. They just worked so hard. We were under .500 (winning percentage) in the first half of the season and we went on a 9-1 run (won nine of 10 games) and finished strong. We have got five freshmen on this team so that is definitely good for down the road,” Brown said. “We just wanted to win this game for these seniors. That is what is disappointing.”

Mount Si had nine seniors on the 2018 team, including Daniel Jenkins, Tyler Kim, Inaki McCarthy, Dominic Vrana, Hunter, Jared Kaye, Hayden Johnson, Alec Bothwell and Jaxen Maw.

Photo courtesy of Calder Productions Mount Si senior Alec Bothell passes the ball to a teammate against the Sumner Spartans on May 15. Sumner defeated Mount Si 2-1 in the first round of the Class 4A state playoffs.

Photo courtesy of Calder Productions Mount Si senior Alec Bothell passes the ball to a teammate against the Sumner Spartans on May 15. Sumner defeated Mount Si 2-1 in the first round of the Class 4A state playoffs.