T-birds’ season slipping away

EDMONDS — The Edmonds-Woodway and Shorewood boys soccer squads are headed in opposite directions right now.

The Warriors beat the Thunderbirds 2-0 on April 21 at Edmonds Stadium to continue its somewhat surprising run through the Western Conference South Division.

After a 1-6 preseason, Edmonds-Woodway, which tied Shorecrest 1-1 April 25, is 4-1-1 in Wesco South play and tied for third-place with Meadowdale and Mariner.

Meanwhile, Shorewood is hemorrhaging players and faces an uphill battle if it is to snag one of the league’s four Northwest District playoff spots. The Thunderbirds lost 3-1 to Kamiak April 25 to fall to 2-3-1 and sixth in the conference.

Edmonds-Woodway dominated possession of the ball early and scored its first goal in the seventh minute. Sophomore midfielder Roy Hanson collected a rebound off Shorewood goalie Chris Hudson and booted it into the net. Midfielder Michael Hixenbaugh was credited with the assist.

Shorewood’s best opportunity to score came right before halftime when forward Kiros Woldegebriel got behind the defense and was one-on-one with Warriors’ goalie, junior Ian Michaels-Slettvet. Michaels-Slettvet came out of the goal box and slid to knock the ball away and end the threat.

In the second half, Shorewood defender and co-captain Greg Mack was red-carded after he put Edmonds-Woodway forward Nick Laffitte in a head lock and threw him to the ground as the two battled for the ball near midfield in the 57th minute.

Laffitte had to be restrained by his teammates after the altercation, but no punches were thrown. Mack’s ejection forced the T-birds to play with 10 players the rest of the game.

After the game, Mack said Laffitte came in high with his knee while going after the ball, but also said he was “embarrassed” and there was “no justification for my actions.”

Mack, the anchor of the T-birds’ defense, is serving a two-game suspension.

Warrior freshman Max Doolittle tacked on an insurance goal in the 71st minute off an assist from senior defender Doug Whitney.

“We played a good game, passed the ball well,” Laffitte said.

After the preseason, Edmonds-Woodway coach Tony Gilman changed the Warriors’ formation, installing a three-forward set that’s generated more offense.

“It’s one of the reasons we’ve been doing better,” he said.

The Warriors suffered a major loss during their April 18 game against Jackson. Senior midfielder and co-captain Robbie Null tore the medial collateral ligament in his right knee against Jackson and is likely done for the season.

“To win this game without him is big,” said Gilman, who experimented with several younger players in Null’s spot. “It was apparent tonight in watching that there was a hole where he was playing.”

Michaels-Slettvet usually platoons in goal with senior Nick Hanratty, but played the entire game and earned the shutout.

“In a tight game I’m reluctant to change,” Gilman said.

Senior midfielder James Lagucik and Whitney also played well, Gilman said.

Shorewood played well at times and erratically at others.

“It was an off and on game,” Shorewood head coach Mark Wisdom said. “We had moments of glory and moments of squalor. The boys can play better than that.”

“It’s a blow to our playoff hopes,” Hudson said. “We needed this win. This really hurts our chances.”

Shorewood has lost at least six players for various reasons this season, Hudson said, including senior forward and co-captain Chris Morris who was kicked off the team by the school. Wisdom declined to comment on the reason for Morris’ removal, except to say it was not related to soccer or academics.

Senior forward Amine Haddadi had to serve a four-game suspension for foul language directed at the referee after a loss to Shorecrest April 7 but returned for the T-birds’ March 25 match against Kamiak.

Several players have also quit the team during the season.

Shorewood’s also has been without senior starting outside midfielder Matt Leonard, who is nursing bruised joints from playing on the AstroTurf at Shoreline Stadium, Wisdom said.