SPANAWAY — Playoffs are not always the time where standouts shine.
And that was bad news for South Kitsap during its 4-0 season-ending loss against Mount Rainier on Saturday morning in the Class 4A West Central/Southwest Bi-District Tournament at Art Crate Field.
Senior Isaac Gettis scored goals in the 15th, 16th and 67th minutes to lead the Rams to the state tournament.
“He’s only had like three goals this year,” said Mount Rainier coach Steve Mohn, a former defender at the University of Washington and Kitsap Pumas.
The other goal for the Rams (11-2-4) came in the 24th by junior midfielder Corbin Sylvester.
“In the first half we had three mental breakdowns,” South coach Cory Vartanian said. “Games like this, you can’t have it. You can’t make mental mistakes.”
Vartanian, whose team finished with a 7-6-2 record during his first season, expressed disappointment when his team ended the regular season with a 1-0 win Tuesday against Yelm, which went winless in 4A Narrows play. But Vartanian said unlike that contest, he did not think the Wolves’ issues were a result of a lack of focus.
“I think honestly that Yelm was a hangover from the Bellarmine/Gig Harbor games,” said Vartanian, referring to a pair of significant contests toward the end of the season that propelled South into the playoffs. “We’ve all been 15, 16, 17 and 18 years old before. Coach can preach it enough and enough and enough and when it gets to the game it’s up to them to take what the coach has said and preached all week and try and carry it over into the game. Sometimes that doesn’t happen.”
Despite that, Vartanian said the players should be proud of their accomplishments. He is the school’s fifth coach during the last six seasons.
“You can’t give enough credit to the seniors who have had a different coach every year,” Vartanian said. “In fairness, they’ve had to take a step back during the entire year and really learn another system — and how I play.”
Vartanian felt his team began to adjust during their 7-0 win April 17 against Olympia. The Wolves went 3-0-1 during their final four regular-season contests.
“Two weeks ago we were in sixth,” Vartanian said. “That just shows how quickly things can change in the Narrows.”
Now he just hopes his team can accomplish the same moving forward as South, which has not won at districts since its 2009 state championship season, graduates several seniors. Vartanian said he believes junior-varsity coaches Lee La Deaux and Meagan Turner developed several players who will be ready to contribute next spring.
“We’re going to be a young team next year, but I think we’re going to surprise a lot people with our talent and work ethic,” he said. “We’re losing some key players, but we’re also returning some talented players.”
Mount Rainier 4, South Kitsap 0
First half-1, Mount Rainier, Isaac Gettis, 15th minute; 2, Mount Rainier, Gettis, 16th; 3, Mount Rainier, Corbin Sylvester, 24th.
Second half-4, Mount Rainier, Gettis 67th.
