The magic ran out much sooner than expected for Central Kitsap’s soccer team as the discombobulated Cougars left their own field stunned 2-0 by the Ballard Beavers May 17.
The Cougars entered the match earning the two-seed in the 3A state bracket after finishing all three prior matches in overtime or penalty shootouts en route to a district title. Yet when they took the field, they did so as the top team left after No. 1 Shorewood lost its opening match the day prior. Ballard was seeded 15th.
Ballard’s Carson Ruegamer scored the first goal with just under 10 minutes left in the first half after the Cougars were unable to clear the ball from the penalty area.
CK’s night only worsened from there, players scrambling to find any positive movement toward its opponent’s goal, only for the defensive line of Ballard to meet them kick for kick.
“I want to give credit where it’s due,” CK coach Patrick Leonard said. “Ballad defensively: so good. We’re good enough to get around stuff like that most nights, so for them to make it as difficult for us tonight is really impressive.”
Senior Alexander Beach was the only Cougar to successfully put the ball in the net, but it was accidentally for the other team. A kick in the second half from the Beavers’ Jack Rollins deflected off the still foot of Beach and then past his own goalkeeper. It was another element to what Leonard said was one of those “soccer sucks” kind of days.
“Anybody from the Metro League is not a 15-seed,” Leonard said. “For us to get this and to host is great, but when I see we’re playing a team like Ballard, we were walking into something here.”
The match featured its fair share of drama both on and off the field. Rollins celebrated the second goal right in front of the Cougar student section and flashed the 2-0 score in front of them.
Both teams racked up multiple yellow cards throughout the game, but Leonard had the worst showing hit with a straight red card in the minutes following the match.