PORT ORCHARD, WA— FC Oly took a 3-2 win over Port Orchard Football Club in a friendly at Kitsap Bank Stadium on Saturday July 20. It was the first-ever Saturday night home match for POFC and drew one of their larger crowds of the season. 641 fans were in attendance.
Attention now turns to Friday night July 26 when Port Orchard will return to the site of the club’s 2023 CPL2 Championship weekend wins. Washington Premier Soccer Complex in Puyallup will host the Cascadia Premier League First Division Semifinals Friday and the winners will advance to the Championship Final on Sunday July 28.
Promising Start
POFC gave the crowd a promising start with multiple goal scoring chances in the very early going. Several balls were close to being tucked home after just a few minutes of play. Port Orchard did go up later 1-0 when Porter Herbig played a central ball in the air to Ben Wilkinson. Ben did the rest, gathering and flicking a shot past the FC Oly keeper.
MATCH ACTION PHOTOS: by Robert Law on Facebook
FC Oly Comeback
It was 2-0 for the home side when Michael Divano drew a penalty kick foul and then converted the chance. FC Oly began to control the match from then on and they got even before halftime at 2-2. Their control continued in the second half and they were up 3-2 just a couple of minutes after the break on a perfectly taken free kick. The match would have no other scoring.
“We have had quite the week,” says POFC Head Coach Patrick Leonard, “but to cap it off with a game in front of our support is a reminder about what it is all about. Oly came with a great game plan and well coached, Nick Boatright is a top coach in Washington and always poses a great challenge for me to go up against. I appreciate him and Oly coming out and giving us a strong test before the playoffs get underway.”
Return To The Playoffs A Level Higher
Port Orchard FC are returning to the playoffs in their second year of existence. Last season POFC were considered favorites in the CPL2 Championship weekend and the club delivered a title leading to promotion to the CPL1.
Leonard sees the accomplishments of year one in the higher level. “First and foremost, I am incredibly proud of the staff and the players at this club for making it into the postseason this first season of CPL1. That was a goal for us coming into this year. Yes, maybe not the exact way we pictured it, but we are here and now we have an incredible opportunity to go for something special this weekend.”
Two Protest Rulings Go POFC’s Way
It was a strange and busy week for Port Orchard. First the club protested and won the dismissal of all Washington Premier FC season results. Next the club awaited the score of the Sporting International – Tacoma Stars Reserves Rainier Division match. That match ended in darkness and controversy.
Port Orchard Sees The Light For Playoffs
Sporting led 2-1 with just under 20 minute remaining when the match was called because the lights never came on at Cleveland Playfield in Seattle. Port Orchard needed a Tacoma win to qualify for the post season. Sporting simply needed to host a match properly and win or tie it. Tacoma protested the match due to the lights.
The CPL looked into the matter and found out that Sporting had never rented the field. Thus no lights came on. They were “squatting” and hoping to get away with it. A league committee was quickly formed and the vote was 6-0 in favor of Tacoma’s protest and for awarding the Stars Reserves a 1-0 forfeit win.
Coach Pat praised the rulings. “I feel reassured by how the CPL conducted themselves during this week,” he says. “Those situations can be tough and no one enjoys them, but ultimately the league did right by the teams of this league and held us all to a standard we agreed to at the beginning of the season.”
The 1-0 Tacoma win was enough to leave Sporting and Port Orchard even on points and goal differential in the Rainier Division. However, Port Orchard held all the tiebreakers after differential and won the spot by scoring more goals during the season.
Ultimate Challenge Ahead
A regular season of ups and downs finishes with POFC at 5 wins and 5 losses in all matches. The club went 5-2 at home at 0-3 away. Yet the way the competition and rulings played out, there is a post season to prepare for and a chance to bring home a trophy for a second straight season.
“Moving into the playoffs we have an incredible test against a strong team (Crossfire),” says the gaffer.” I’m excited for the challenge, as are the players. We really have an opportunity to continue entertaining the support as well as adding to the club’s legacy. That is all the motivation we need. Come Friday night, we will be ready.”
CPL1 Championship Weekend Details
The Cascadia Premier League First Division Semifinals and Final will be held at Washington Premier Soccer Complex in Puyallup. Port Orchard v. Crossfire (Redmond) will kick off at 8 PM on field #3. Tickets: Available at the gate are $12 (age `16 to adult), $7 (age 4 to 15) and free (age 3 and under.) In the other CPL1 Semifinal Tacoma Stars Reserves will play Sharktopus on field #4, also at 8 PM. The winners of these matches will play for the CPL1 trophy on Sunday night July 28 at 6 PM on field #3 (same ticket prices.)
Watch a full replay of the friendly match against FC Oly.
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