Varsity - BHS vs Liberty 11-22-25

Bellevue 1-0 Liberty

42nd min 1-0 Paris (Saleen)

We play a game. For three very busy months we choose to play a game with our school friends. And by opting into that experience, by dedicating ourselves to the slings and arrows of tough practices, injuries, disappointment, frustration, mis-communication, homework juggling, illness, risk of failure, actual failure (the former is always worse), accidental elbows to the noggin or nasty turf burns on our knees and hips; by enduring these challenges and intense emotions, we also open ourselves to experience some of the great joys of life: accomplishing something together that we could not do individually, building community, experiencing joy, discovering new friendships, steadily improving at a skill, supporting teammates younger than you, authentic laughter, spontaneous smiles, genuine hugs, singing together, dancing together, and sometimes, very very rarely, the purity of hitting a ball with your foot so perfectly that hits the net in the upper, upper corner of the goal to win a championship for you and your friends. 

I love sport. I love how inconsequentially consequential it is. The absurdity of it. The outsized seriousness of it. For me, it really is the most important of the least important things in life.  

We found ourselves matched up with Kingco rival Liberty in the Final. We had tied Liberty in our last regular season game, senior night, in a game that didn't matter in the standings, but was intense from first minute to last. They are a very good program and well coached. We know them well and respect how they play soccer. And Liberty started the Final brightly, putting us under consistent pressure for the first 15 minutes with their skillful brand of possession soccer and speedy wingers. But our team defense was excellent, as we covered for each other and maintained our compact shape and balance. And from that solid foundation, the momentum began to shift in our favor and we started to create good chances of our own as we became more patient and thoughtful in our attacking play. The last 20 minutes of the half we had the momentum and Liberty were wobbling.   

Liberty were a bit unlucky with the draw (it happens...we have experienced this ourselves). They had the later semi-final on Friday night and had to play a very competitive game against Eastside Catholic that went into overtime and had to be decided in a shootout (by which time our players were already home, resting, and waiting for our opponent to be decided). So they had slightly shorter rest, and some extra minutes in their legs. So by the last ten minutes of our first half, it was clear the Patriots were getting understandably tired. Therefore our halftime tactics talk wasn't very sophisticated: finish them now while they are teetering. High press for the first 5-10 minutes of the second half, because every passing minute would give them confidence to push the game into extra time or a shootout. And so it goes. Two minutes after the restart the magic happened. Aanya took a throw-in to Saleen, who made a classy first-touch-sole-of-the-foot pass to Paris on the left sideline, Paris spun her defender on the dribble cutting inside towards goal and then fired a wonder-strike from 25yards to the upper near-post corner that left the excellent Liberty keeper helpless even at full stretch. Pandemonium. Hugs. 1-0 Bellevue.  

And that was it. We had several more opportunities to add to the scoreline (including two stone-cold penalty decisions that didn't go our way), but fortunately we didn't need the cushion. We played a very controlled second half and saw the game out with kudos going to our backline of Katelyn, Aanya, Maggie, Emerson, Talia, and Elina for shutting down each Liberty incursion before it became overly dangerous.

Final whistle and jumping for joy. Each of our players earning the forever title of State Champion. 

Every player will have their own cherished memories and perspectives from our happy night, but I have a list of my own: the sound of the final whistle, joyous hugs between our coaching staff, our captains being presented with the championship trophy and hosting it in the air surrounded by their teammates, our team slapping the "Bellevue" sticker on the final bracket, small groups of families hugging their state champion daughters, tiny team siblings posing with the trophy with their blue and gold pom poms, Lola wearing "the hat," my Gatorade ice-bucket water-boarding at midfield (worth it), the football team driving an hour to Sparks to support our team from the stands, music in the locker room pre-game and on the bus on the way home, Coach Carlie's pre-game snack bags for the bus ride (hat tip to coach Kay nostalgia), forgotten game jerseys and the selfless generosity of a younger sister, bus drivers who are retiring after 30 years on the job with their final assignment hauling our happy team home (including a stop at Dairy Queen where many Blizzards were consumed with extra helpings of chocolate, carmel, and heaps of extra sugar on top)...

...and the purity of hitting a ball with your foot so perfectly that it hits the net in the upper, upper corner of the goal to win a championship for you and your friends.  

Sincerest thanks to the families and supporters (lots of alumni players and families in the stands) that added to the atmosphere and emotion of the evening, with special shout-outs to Jay Peters for both his professional quality photography and videography, but also wrangling two bins of parkas on behalf of the team, the Tucker family for generously hosting team breakfast two weekends in a row so we could review video, Stacy and Jen for absolutely everything (too many details to list), and a dedicated coaching staff who care deeply for these players and this program (Annika, Carlie, Heather, Imad and Kinley). And to all the volunteers who organized senior nights, hosted team dinners, provided transportation, and washed endless loads of jerseys and socks throughout the season. Thank you. 

Pride is a sin, but one that I gladly acknowledge: I'm so proud of this program. Thank you to our BGS community for making it so special. 

We play. a game.