Peninsula Daily News
PORT ANGELES — The nationally-ranked Peninsula College Pirate soccer teams will take to the pitch one more time this year at the annual Rumble in the Rainforest on Saturday at Sigmar Field.
The event is sponsored by High Energy Metals.
Peninsula will host men’s and women’s teams representing the Olympic Force and the Seattle Stars, for a full slate of matches, beginning at 10 a.m. and concluding at 5:30 p.m. Admission for a day of soccer is $5.
Although the matches are all exhibition, it will mark the collegiate head coaching debut of Jake Hughes, who was recently hired to take the helm of the Pirate men’s team.
“The rumble is a great way for our program to prepare our sophomore players to move on, and our incoming players to regain some sharpness for the upcoming season,” Hughes said. “It will be an exciting and challenging event against two good teams.”
Saturday’s Rumble also will be the first action for veteran coach Kanyon Anderson since the Peninsula women won their third Northwest Athletic Conference women’s soccer title under his watch in November.
“We are excited to continue this cool tradition against two really good teams,” Anderson said.
“I am also happy to be able to highlight the awesome facilities at Peninsula and have a soccer celebration for our fans each spring.”
The Olympic Force Soccer Club, based in Bremerton, represents players from the Kitsap Peninsula and surrounding areas. It’s roster includes players who are preparing to start college, players who are in college, and players who have completed their collegiate playing careers and are looking to play at a high level. The women’s team, coached by Jason Jarrett, plays in the Northwest Premier League and the men’s team, under the direction of coach Steve Cashmore, plays in the Evergreen Premier League.
The Seattle Stars, based in King County, were founded in 2011 and have a similar make-up of players as the Olympic Force. The women’s team, coached by Chris Wells, and men’s team, coached by Omar Lara, also play in the same leagues as the Force.
The Rumble in the Rainforest game schedule has the 2016 NWAC champion Pirates, winners of six straight league championships, tackling the Olympic Force at 10 a.m. The Pirate men, who won their eighth straight league title this year, follow with a match against the Force at 11:15.
The two mid-day matches pit the Force against the Stars, with the women at 12:30 and the men at 1:45 p.m.
The day then wraps up with the Pirate women hosting the Stars at 3 p.m. and the men closing out the show at 4:15.
