SEQUIM — The Sequim girls soccer team got off to a fast start with five goals in the first half, going on to win 6-0 over Bremerton on Tuesday to get back on the winning track.
The Wolves’ Taryn Johnson got her third hat trick of the season, with all three of her goals in the first half.
“We came out really strong in the first half,” said coach Ken Garling. “It was a great, great win.”
The victory snapped a two-game losing streak. The Wolves lost both of those games 1-0.
Johnson had goals in the seventh, 10th and 35th minutes.
“She’s a true striker. When she gets goals, she gets goals in bunches,” Garling said.
Jennyfer Gomez, who had an assist on one of Johnson’s goals, scored one of her own in the 35th minute unassisted.
Teagen Moore scored in the 36th minute “from a really tight angle,” Garling said.
Aliyah Weber finished off the scoring with a goal in the 63rd minute with an assist to Hannah Wagner.
Garling said that, on top of the goal scorers, freshman Libby Turrela was brought up from the JV team to play varsity and played well. He said Kaia Lesage also played a solid game at the center-back position.
“She was all over the place. That’s her best game that I’ve seen,” Garling said.
Sequim’s win combined with Port Angeles’ 1-0 win Tuesday helps create a huge logjam at the top of the Olympic League between the Wolves (7-4), the Roughriders (7-3) and North Kitsap (8-3).
“This is fun to see,” Garling said.
Port Angeles 1 Bainbridge 0
BAINBRIDGE — The Port Angeles girls soccer team has been red-hot the past couple of weeks, relying on a stifling defense and goal-scoring from Bailee Larson.
The Roughriders won their fourth straight with their fourth-straight shutout Tuesday, 1-0 over league-leading Bainbridge. The Spartans came in to the contest with a nine-game winning streak. The Riders have also beaten 8-3 North Kitsap during their streak.
It was also the Riders’ sixth shutout of the season. Their current shutout streak is 320 straight minutes, not counting stoppage time.
The win helped Port Angeles keep pace in the Olympic League 2A title race with North Kitsap and Sequim. The Roughriders have one more game to play than the Vikings or Wolves, and sit only one game behind.
The Spartans defeated the Roughriders 3-1 earlier in the season.
Senior captain Bailee Larson said, “Overall I thought everyone did their part tonight and it puts us in a good spot for the rest of the season.”
Larson was a key contributor, taking a pass from freshman Ava-Ann Sheahan, spinning around a Bainbridge defender and knocking a curling, 20-yard shot over the goalkeeper;s head. It was her eighth goal of the season.
The game was one that was dominated by the midfield play of both teams. Neither team had many shots, with Bainbridge taking six and Port Angeles five. Both teams registered three shots on goal.
“The plan was to play solid defense, get a goal and rely on our work rate to keep the shutout,” said coach Scott Moseley. “We have been very difficult to score on since Sequim put three in on us [on Oct. 5]. The defense has jelled together and takes great pride in each shutout.”
Moseley highlighted the play of forward Savannah Croteau, who made her first start at right back.
“Savannah played great —smart defense, booming clearances and linking up well with our midfield,” he said.
Anna Petty was strong in midfield while Catie Brown served as the Roughriders target forward.
Port Angeles (7-3) next plays at Bremerton (2-8) on Thursday.
Boys Tennis Sequim, Port Angeles
at Olympic League Tournament
POULSBO — The Port Angeles and Sequim boys tennis teams went to Poulsbo for Day One of the Olympic League Tournament on Tuesday and had a successful opening day.
Sequim has two boys in the singles semifinals, with one of them guaranteed to move on to the championship match on Day Two of the tournament set for Monday, weather permitting.
Sequim’s Connor Bear and Garrett Little each won two matches to make it to the semifinals, where they will play each other for the chance to be in the championship. Bear had to come from behind to win one of his matches, losing his first set 6-7 to Andrew Myers of North Kitsap, then coming back to win the match by going 6-0, 6-0 in the second two sets.
The loser of the Bear/Little match can still finish as high as third in the consolation bracket.
Reef Gelder, the Roughriders’ No. 1 singles player, won both of his matches (6-0, 6-1 and 6-0, 6-1) without losing a set to advance into the third round of the winner’s bracket.
Edun Bailey also advanced, winning two of his three matches on the day (6-2, 7-5; 1-6, 1-6 and 6-2, 7-5).
The top Riders duo of Damon Gundersen and Michael Soule advanced to the second day of the tournament, winning two matches and losing a heartbreaker in a third-set tiebreaker (7-5, 2-6, 6-7). They could finish as high as third.
Port Angeles had two other doubles teams compete in the tournament, but not qualify for Day Two.
“The doubles bracket was absolutely loaded this year and most of the matches were very competitive. Our two teams that got eliminated played well, but just didn’t come out on top,” said Port Angeles coach Brian Gundersen.
The Sequim duo of Henry Hughes and Jack VanDeWege won two out of three matches of the day and are in the consolation bracket with a chance for third place.
Girls Volleyball
Sequim 3, Bremerton 0
SEQUIM — The Sequim Wolves improved their Olympic League record to 8-4 with an easy 3-0 (25-11, 25-10, 25-7) win over Bremerton on Tuesday.
Kendall Hastings led the Wolves with 13 kills, seven assists and six digs. Setter Allie Gale served 14-for-15 with five aces and had 15 assists.
Mallory Morey served 12-for-12 with three aces and Jordan Hegtvedt added nine digs. Jolene Vaara served 16-for-19 with six aces and six digs. Angel Wagner came in to play with two kills and two blocks.
The Wolves (9-4 overall, 8-4 league) next play at Kingston on Thursday.
As teammate Allie Gale, center, looks on, Sequim’s Angel Wagner looks to put a block on Bremerton’s Kamari Joiner in the second game of Sequim’s 3-0 sweep of the visiting Knights on Tuesday. (Michael Dashiell/Olympic Peninsula News Group)
Sequim’s Alliyah Weber breaks through the Bremerton defense for a second half score in the Wolves’ 6-0 win over the visiting Knights on Tuesday. (Michael Dashiell/Olympic Peninsula News Group)
Sequim’s Kendall Hastings goes up for a kill against Bremerton on Tuesday. The Wolves won the match 3-0. (Michael Dashiell/Olympic Peninsula News Group)
