Soccer: Bucs avoid early District elimination, shutout Wolves

The Kingston Buccaneers guaranteed themselves a district playoff appearance after a shutout victory over the Sequim Wolves Oct. 25 at Buc Field.

By Kipp Robertson • October 26, 2012 3:30 pm

Tags: North Kitsap

KINGSTON — The Kingston Buccaneers guaranteed themselves a district playoff appearance after a shutout victory over the Sequim Wolves Oct. 25 at Buc Field.

The Bucs defeated the Wolves 4-0, with a 3-0 lead at the half.

The Bucs will continue their postseason play against Klahowya Oct. 27 at 1 p.m. at Silverdale Stadium.

Kingston is one of five teams in the Olympic League playing in the Olympic League Tournament for seeding into the West Central District III playoff tournament. The other teams are Klahowya, Olympic, North Kitsap and Sequim.

Though still in the tournament, the Wolves faces potential elimination after losing to the Bucs. The Wolves must play the No. 5 seed from the South Puget Sound League Oct. 31 in a District play-in game. The loser of the game is out.

North Kitsap Vikings, which tied for first in the regular season and took a share of the league title, will face the Olympic Trojans Oct. 27 at 7 p.m. at North Kitsap Stadium.

The winners of the games Oct. 27 will play each other Oct. 30 for seeding into Districts. The losers do the same. The top two seeding teams from the Oly tournament will get the chance to play a district game at Silverdale Stadium Nov. 3.

The winners of the district tournament games seed into the 2A state tournament.

Klahowya topped the charts along with the Vikings during the regular season. Both teams finished 7-1. Kingston coach Craig Smith knows Klahowya will not be easy when they face each other Oct. 27.

“I know they will take nothing lightly,” Smith said. “They will up their game.”

The Bucs, however, are the only team this season to beat Klahowya. The Kingston team won 1-0 Oct. 16 at home, using a defensive, counterattack game plan. Smith said Klahowya will be taking its loss into consideration.

“I just hope we do a similar job and get a counterattack going,” Smith said of the upcoming game against Klahowya.

The Bucs utilized the counterattack against Sequim Oct. 25, which turned into back-to-back goals.

Within the first few minutes of the game, the Wolves had about 10 shots on goal, according to Smith. Unsuccessful on the attack, the Bucs moved the ball into Wolves territory, and kept up the pressure. Smith said it took some time to adjust to being on the attack.

However, in the 8th minute, Kingston’s Rebecca Tafte scored off a cross-ball from Kelly Nash.

Smith said Nash, a midfielder, has passed balls well all season, creating scoring opportunities.

“Kelly was playing strong,” Smith said.

Tafte’s goal started a first half that was all Bucs.

In the 13th minute, midfielder Emily Vernik kicked well outside the penalty box on a drop ball; following a pass from Forward Sara Zuarri. The ball dropped in the goal, being completely out of reach of the Wolves’ goalie.

A third Kingston goal, and the last of the first half, was off a header from midfielder/forward Britney Seeley; from a pass from Sarah Holt. That was the 24th minute.

The second half of the game was more aggressive, Smith said. Kingston received one yellow card. The Wolves received three or four, Smith said.

“It became a more physical game, as this whole league has been this year,” Smith said.

The more physical game resulted in fewer scoring opportunities. But Kingston tacked-on one more in the 74th minute to end it. Midfielder Sarah Fick, off another pass from Nash, scored to send the Wolves home with a loss.