The three-time defending Class 2A state champion Archbishop Murphy boys soccer team saw a pair of lengthy streaks end in its first two matches of the season.
The Wildcats’ 43-match winning streak was snapped March 9 with a season-opening 0-0 draw against Pullman.
Archbishop Murphy’s 44-match non-losing streak then ended March 17 with a 1-0 loss to East Valley-Yakima, which lost to the Wildcats 8-0 in last year’s state title game.
It was Archbishop Murphy’s first loss since falling to perennial 4A state contender Camas in the 2016 season opener.
The Wildcats graduated 13 seniors from last year’s star-studded team.
“It started with a special group of boys,” Archbishop Murphy coach Michael Bartley said of the streak. “Those 13 seniors, combined with some of the younger guys, dedicated themselves to soccer and a lot of hard work to be able to pull off that steak. I’m very proud of what (they) accomplished.”
Archbishop Murphy’s Cascade Conference winning streak is still intact.
With victories over South Whidbey and Cedarcrest to open their conference slate, the Wildcats have won 45 consecutive conference matches. Archbishop Murphy hasn’t lost a league match since falling to Cedarcrest in April 2014.
“I kind of think it’s a little bit of a relief in a way,” Bartley said of the streak-ending loss to East Valley, “because now (our players) can really focus.
“I think this group is really looking at that loss as more of a measure of where we’re at. And we know we can get better every day, so they’re excited for the season.”
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