Boys keep Friday Harbor close in soccer but drop OT heartbreaker

The conditions couldn't have been harsher for the La Conner High School boys' soccer team when it faced NW2B/1B foe Friday Harbor at Whittaker Field on Friday.

Southerly winds gusted to 45 mph, hard rain fell the entire second half and temperatures plummeted into the 40s by game's end.

That wasn't the worst of it, at least emotionally.

The Braves briefly led the contest in regulation until a potential Braves go-ahead goal late in the second half was disallowed on an official's questionable call. The teams remained deadlocked 1-1 through two overtimes.

Friday Harbor secured the win by edging La Conner 3-2 in the shootout, which followed 90 cold, drenching minutes on the pitch.

Christian Fix and Hadden Zimmerman scored La Conner's shootout goals – one-on-one attempts versus the Wolverine goalkeeper – but the visitors converted three kicks of their own to complete a two-match regular season series sweep of the Braves.

Friday Harbor claimed a 1-0 victory over La Conner when the two conference rivals met previously at Linde Field on Sept. 24.

Midway through the Oct. 18 rematch, the Wolverines held an identical 1-0 advantage, aided in great measure by having the wind at their back.

La Conner enjoyed the wind advantage after intermission, though by then both clubs had to deal with a driving rain that pushed unrelentingly across the field.

The Braves got on the scoreboard nine minutes after the break when Fix drilled a penalty kick that Friday Harbor's keeper couldn't handle.

The hosts, after defender Jarrett Hatch foiled a Wolverine shot on goal with a perfectly timed slide, appeared to go ahead 2-1 at the 12:15 mark when Alex Dowery found the net from close range after the Friday Harbor keeper deflected a driving liner from Fix.

Officials, much to the dismay of Braves fans, waved off the goal with an iffy offside call.

The score was tied 1-1 through the second frame and two five-minute overtime sessions. That forced the decisive shootout.

Braves head coach Galen McKnight was pleased afterward with his team's effort but lamented having to suffer another painfully close setback.

"I'd rather be on the other side of a score like this," McKnight said. The Braves fell to 2-7-1, five of those losses being by two goals or less.

The Braves were scheduled at Lopez Island (5-1) Tuesday and visit Orcas Island (10-1) at 3 p.m. Oct. 29. Orcas last week edged Lopez 1-0, handing the Lobos their first defeat of the season.

Meanwhile, the La Conner girls' soccer team squared its season ledger at 4-4-2 with a 1-0 shutout win at Providence Classical Christian of Bothell on Oct. 16. Lydia Grossglass scored the lone goal for the victors, who sailed to Friday Harbor on Tuesday. The Braves travel to Lopez Oct. 30 for a 4 p.m. clash.