2003 season: Guided South Whidbey to a 21-1 record. The Falcons won their first North Cascades Conference championship and their second Northwest District title. They finished second in the state, losing in a shootout to Connell in the championship game.
Background: A high school soccer coach for nine years, the last eight at South Whidbey. The Falcons varsity coach for six seasons. Took South Whidbey to a district championship and third-place finish in the state tournament in 2000. Lost in the first round of the 2001 state playoffs. Eliminated from the postseason last year in the district playoffs.
Comment: “I wouldn’t have guessed we’d have this good of a record.
“Blaine had most of the team back that beat us in the district tournament last year. Sultan was the defending state champion. I thought Lakewood would be stronger. Meridian had a strong program under a new coach.
“But we picked up two strong players. Kelsey Kimmel came in as a freshman and Claudia Gil-Osorio was back off an injury. We had no weaknesses. We had a quality player at every position. That allowed us to do things you don’t see a lot in high school soccer. We were able to move the ball around and put it in positions where we could score.
“And our defense was really strong. We only allowed two goals against in regulation time and 14 on direct free kicks. It was too bad we ended with a loss in a shootout. We came as close as we possibly could.”
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