OAK HARBOR By a 2-1 score, the Tomahawk soccer team closed their regular season with a win, but the boys still walked out of Wildcat Memorial Stadium with heavy hearts, after learning their first-ever league championship would have to wait for another year.
I think theyre ready to move on, said M-P coach Geoff Kittle as the team walked out of the stadium, toward the bus. The regular season is over.
With a 13-3 record, the Tomahawks move on to the district bracket where theyll vie for the Western Conferences third berth to state as a two-seed with a first-round bye. They hosted either Monroe or Kamiak at Lake Stevens High School, May 6, after The Globe went to press.
For the second consecutive game, senior forward Jordan Salcedo drew a penalty kick, this time from the Oak Harbor defense around the 14th minute of the game. Nick Burdett made the goal 35 seconds later, put the Tommies up 1-0. Less than six minutes out of halftime, sophomore midfielder Brady Ballew gave the boys the cushion of a second goal, hitting almost head on from 20 yards out into the right side of the net.
Oak Harbors score came with 21 minutes left in the game.
The team learned afterward that Monroe had been unable to come back against Snohomish, giving the conference and an automatic state playoff slot to the Panthers.