Varsity - Bellevue vs Liberty 11-2-24

​Bellevue 3-0 Liberty
3rd min Saleen (Leah & Mia)
60th min Saleen (Kenny)
71st min Saleen (Maddy, Saleen & right post)

Each edition of BGS is unique. The overall tone of the team is set by the leadership of each senior class. This year's team is a wonderful combination of fun, enthusiasm, and steely competitiveness. The team gets along. They support each other, regardless of their role in the team. For instance, in our last full practice before competing for a Kingco 3A championship fell on Halloween. So instead of a tactics-heavy session on how we would counter Liberty's talented midfielders and wingers, our seniors organized a costume-party. 

So although it was unlikely that the skills we practiced would help us against a talented Liberty team (inflatable T-rex dribbling through cones, minions and grandmas doing passing drills, and pink-unicorn goalkeepers making diving saves), it just re-inforced why this edition of BGS is so...fun. 

And when the time came to take the field for the Kingco Championship against #2-seeded Liberty, we were ready. Getting to play in a final is rare. Some players go their entire soccer playing career and never experience the butterflies and jangling nerves that can accompany playing for a meaningful trophy. So our final message to the team was to enjoy the moment, be fearless and play. It's "play" after all, not work. Play. Channel some of that T-Rex, blue-unicorn energy, and have some fun.   

And we did. Although the game began like a lot of finals: choppy, sloppy, and nervous, It only took three minutes to calm our collective nerves as Nora won the ball at midfield, twice, and slipped the ball to Saleen who flicked a one-time pass to Mia, releasing our speedy senior into Liberty territory. Mia beat two defenders for pace and cut-back a cross for a charging Leah on the right wing. Leah smashed a shot on goal that somehow the Liberty goalkeeper deflected onto the crossbar (seriously, one of the best saves I've seen all season, kudos to the Liberty keeper). But the defection fell kindly for Saleen who headed the ball into the net from the doorstep to open the scoring. 1-0 Bellevue. The goal calmed our nerves and we began to control the tempo and play more of the game in the Liberty end. At halftime, 7 shots / 0 corners for Bellevue, with Liberty creating only 1 shot /1 corner.  

And then the weather happened. It poured. The temperature dropped. And conditions for beautiful soccer worsened...quickly. But as I have noted several times in these write-ups, our team is set-up to play a lot of different ways. We prefer a flowing possession-style with simple and quick combinations, but if conditions are poor, we can rely on tight formations, quality challenges, and tough tackling. And so we did. And as Liberty were forced to chase the game, we created more chances as the spaces got bigger in midfield. A second goal seemed inevitable, but we had to wait until the 60th minute for it to arrive. And it took an entry pass of exquisite weight, accuracy, and beauty, as Kendall won the ball at midfield, and with her second touch, she released Saleen in on goal with only the keeper to beat. And we know how that scene ends: 2-0 Bellevue. Fantastic goal, and inch-perfect assist. 

Down two with twenty minutes left for a trophy, Liberty began to create chances earning two corners and recording two quality shots. But again, our team defense was outstanding. We blocked shots, covered for each in dangerous situations, and celebrated each of what seemed like dozens of Kaitlyn headers to clear our backline. Then in the 71st minute, we got insurance for our insurance. Maddy cleared a dangerous Liberty attack with a long pass into space that Saleen collected at midfield, and our sophomore striker began to cook...weaving between defenders before unleashing a shot...that...hit the right post. But the defection bounced right back towards Saleen, who made a lunging tackle on a Liberty defender attempting to clear, she won the ball back and fired her second shot past the helpless Patriot goalkeeper. 3-0 Bellevue. Would Saleen have scored that goal if she hadn't perfected her dribbling skills while wearing an inflatable T-rex costume earlier in the week? Unknowable, but her goal effectively ended the game. T-rex hat trick. 3-0 Final Score. Lucky Charms in the trophy. Smiles, laughter, selfies, and a fourth consecutive Kingco Championship. And most importantly, a win that earns our team a spot in the state tournament. 

What's next? 13 days of rest. That's a lot. Probably too much. The rest of the leagues and districts are playing their qualifying tournaments this week to determine the full 20-team field for State, and on Sunday, November 10th the brackets will be released and we'll know our path. Practice on Monday is canceled for some well-earned rest, but we'll gather again on Tuesday to keep sharp for the final phase of this already extraordinary BGS season. 

Thank you to all the supporters who endured the weather on Saturday. It matters. 

I love this team of costumed-super-hero dinosaur unicorns: 2024 3A Kingco Champions.  

 
ps. for those of you wondering about Coach John's unique headwear...it's a magic hat. It showed up during our 2022 perfect state championship campaign and has made an appearance for every Kingco and state playoff game since that magical run. Respect the hat. 🙂

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