In the rainy mist of the Friday night before spring break, the Issaquah Eagles battled Eastlake Wolves on the boys’ varsity soccer field and emerged victorious in a 3-0 score. Issaquah can add another win to their undefeated streak this season. 

Senior right winger Sharif Lacasse said, “We were feeling confident and believed we would beat Eastlake, but we were aware anything can happen in a game.” Junior Mason Jeske said that Eastlake had a couple of lucky wins this season but he “wasn’t too worried about them going in.” Within the first half hour of the game the Eagles scored their first goal, drawing first blood and setting a dominant tone for the rest of the night. 

Those who have not watched a live soccer game may be unfamiliar with the physical demands of the sport. Players have to be on high alert following the ball and searching for openings for passes while constantly running up and down the field. Agility is more important than speed in this game. Dribbling the ball requires quick but careful feet in order to keep possession, and the Eagles were notably skilled in weaving the ball between the Eastlake defenders. Teamwork is also one of the most vital aspects of soccer: being able to communicate with other players and strategize in the moment is key in moving the ball down the field and avoiding opponents. Jeske, who is the center back, is the main defensive player on the field. He says, “Communication is the most important thing. I can see a lot in my position on the field, and communicating with my teammates helps a lot.” The defense from Eastlake was tough, and a nasty shove by the Wolves left senior Dustin Rhodes with a leg injury that forced him to leave the field 20 minutes into the game. 

After half time spectators could notice the shift in energy from the players: they pushed harder, ran faster, and became more aggressive in stealing the ball. After several near goals, senior Andrew Myerson scored a penalty kick for Issaquah, followed closely by a goal by Cody Stark, closing out the game 3-0 and leaving the Eagles victorious. Prominent players in this game included “Mason Menser, Sam Michotte, and Cody Stark,” as praised by Coach Charles Glenn. 

Glenn says the team’s success this season is owed to the players’ positive attitudes: “The boys buy into what we’re trying to do and how we want to play.” Lacasse says, “The way things are looking, I am most excited for district and state league, since it would be my first time playing in those types of games.” Glenn says the team wants to play “even crisper soccer” for the rest of the season, continuing to push themselves in the everlong quest for improvement of their passion. Jeske hopes to go D2 or D3 post high-school, and Lacasse has already committed to playing at Chapman University. The future is bright for the Issaquah varsity soccer players. Their senior night against Skyline is Friday, April 29 at 7:30 p.m.. Come out to support the Eagles and send off our senior players!