A shutout loss to Glacier Peak High ended the Spartan boys soccer season Wednesday, May 20 during the first round of state tournament play.
It was a loser-out situation, and the 2-0 defeat was enough to end the Bainbridge High year with an overall record of 13-3-3.
It was a disappointing end to a year packed full of momentum, including several shutouts and OT wins by the BHS squad.
“While it’s always disappointing to finish, we’ve built on the 2014 season winning the Metro Sound Division and taking third spot in the Metro tournament,” said Spartan Head Coach Ian McCallum.
Credit must be given, he added, to Glacier Peak, who outplayed the Spartans in the season’s final decisive match.
“They are a good team technically with some excellent players in key positions,” he said. “They moved the ball very well and didn’t allow us to get our attack going.”
Admittedly, the Spartans entered the match at a disadvantage, however.
“Due to some travel issues and delays, we only got the field 15 minutes before the scheduled kick off,” McCallum added. “While we were given some time to warm up, I don’t feel the boys were mentally there yet.”
Still, nobody was making any excuses, the coach insisted, and the team’s eyes were already cast toward the future.
The Spartans stand to lose several perpetual standout players to graduation this year, a particularly special crop of players to McCallum personally.
“We’ll lose key seniors and great individuals every year, it’s just part of the process,” he said.
“I’m happy for this group of seniors, as I’ve know each of them since we moved to the island in 2009 [and] they have been a huge part of my family’s life and I hope that they can say that also.
“They are all special in their own way and I cannot express how much I love these guys and look forward to seeing them grow as they move forward to a special time in their lives,” the coach said.
Still, Spartan fans have every reason to be excited for the future, McCallum added.
With regards to the coming year, Devon Reynolds and Anton Easterbrook were voted team captains by their peers for the 2016 season.
The program also stands to receive a “large incoming class” next season, McCallum said.
The soccer scene on Bainbridge is thriving more than ever, at every level of play, and boasts a talented crop of JV players looking to step up next season.
“I’m excited for the youth soccer on Bainbridge,” McCallum said. “In 2015 [and] ’16, the club’s select program will have five coaches who came through the Bainbridge youth and high school programs. Our young players are highly skillful, and we continue to inspire our children to be passionate about soccer.”
The BHS postseason soccer banquet and awards ceremony is slated for 6 p.m. Tuesday, June 2 in the high school commons.
Some awards, however, had already been bestowed upon the Spartans.
Gerrit Mahling was selected as a forward on the 2015 Boys Soccer All-League Sound Division First Team.
Glodi Kingombe was named as a forward on the Second Team.
Several Spartans were selected as honorable mentions as well, including Wesley Houser, Easterbrook, Huma Gisbert and Sam Maracich.
Metro All-League teams are voted on by coaches from both the Sound and Mountain divisions.
