Varsity - BHS vs Ridgeline 11-14-25

Bellevue 1-0 Ridgeline

17th min 1-0 Nora (unassisted)

There are no extra credit points for style during playoff soccer. Although we aspire to play poised, flowing, rhythmic soccer regardless of the stage or the opponent, sometimes what we get is gritty, determined, scrappy, and tough soccer...and that is enough. We emerged from a tense scrum a 1-0 winner and advanced to the next round of the state tournament: a quarter-final against #6 Central Kitsap who prevailed 1-0 in a very tight battle against Holy Names in the game that preceded ours. 

I expected a little bit of competitive rust after 10 days off  since we beat Inglemoor in the Kingco Championship game. It's a long break for any team at any level. Great for resting legs, not for preserving momentum. But instead of rust, we started smoothly, moving the ball quickly, pressing hard, and creating several early chances. We were good. Really good. But each attempt in the early phases sailed slightly wide, or slightly high, or a Ridgeline defender was able to make a lunging deflection that kept us from getting the ball into the net. For 15 minutes, it was one-way traffic but without a reward. Finally we broke the deadlock in the 17th minute, as Saleen dashed down the right wing and cut-back a cross that the Ridgeline keeper cleared with a nonchalant kick save that spun high into the air, looping towards the top of the box...where it was met with cool precision by Nora with a perfect half-volley finish from 18 yards into the far corner of the goal. 1-0 Bellevue. Outstanding finish. Not overhit. Just solid smooth contact low and past the keeper.  

And it felt like the dam would break and a floodwater of goals would flow...but...no...no breaking dam, no gushing of goals, no waterfall of wonder, no flow of finishes. Instead: slightly wide. slightly high. off the crossbar, or cleared off the line. And that was the pattern for the game: Bellevue creating plenty of chances, dominating possession, but. not. quite. flowing. Final statistics: 27 / 10 shots/corners to 5/2 for Ridgeline and a 56/44 possession advantage for our team. Complete domination in statistics, but narrow margins where it counts the most: the scoreboard.

And every minute that we failed to score the insurance goal we sought, the more confidence Ridgeline gained. And with 20 minutes left in the game it was still just a one goal game...and suddenly we got very, very tight. Boom ball. Frenzied clearances. Panic stations. And if not for some last minute heroics by Katelyn and our defenders throwing themselves in front of the few shot attempts Ridgeline created, clearing attempts off the line, the Ridgeline Falcons could have spoiled our statistical domination with a "smash and grab" equalizer. But thankfully they didn't. We held on. 

FTJ is a core value for this program, and we FTJ'd the heck out of our game against Ridgeline.  

And we'll be better for the experience. If we have to preserve a narrow lead again in this playoff run, we'll be calmer, more poised, and just as ready to throw ourselves in front of attempted shots (or a teammate's inadvertent elbow 🙂).

I think the patient possession we showed all season just needed a competitive reboot of gametime. And if we continue to create a 27 to 5 shot advantage the rest of the way...I like our chances. We plan to bring our shooting boots to the Central Kitsap game.   

Because we are ready for this journey. Can we score goals? Yes we can. 42 for the season in 18 games. Can we defend? Yes we can. Two goals allowed in our last six games, and only 13 for the season. Can we come from behind? Yes we can. Last minute equalizer against Mt. Si, and two goals in the last ten minutes to beat Skyline. Battle tested? Yes we are. We played the most challenging schedule in the state including victories against Issaquah, Skyline, Woodinville and a draw against Mt. Si: 4 of the 8 quarter finalists in this year's 4A State tournament. 

We. are. ready. for. this. 

We are going to walk onto the turf at Bellevue Stadium for the last time this season later today. The last time ever for our seniors. And we are going to play our best game of the season. 

See you later tonight. 

Peter 

ps. A big thank you to all of the supporters who endured a late start (CK had transportation issues) to our game on a cold, wet night. And advanced thanks to the Tucker family for hosting the entire team on Saturday morning to review Central Kitsap video at their home. We basically invited ourselves over and they were gracious enough to give us a cozier spot to prepare for our quarter-final than the girls locker room.