PORT ORCHARD, WA—Port Orchard Football Club completed an unbeaten 2025 season on Sunday night July 27 with a dramatic 2-1 victory in the Cascadia Premier League Final to secure the club’s second championship in just three years of existence.
The 2023 season title and promotion were an amazing experiences for the new club. To go a step further and win the top level of the CPL in 2025 is a real reflection on the growth of soccer in Kitsap County. POFC beat two stacked Seattle clubs to take the trophy with a roster of guys from Bainbridge, Poulsbo, Bremerton, Silverdale, Gig Harbor and other towns in West Sound and the Olympic Peninsula. They did it with a head coach who grew up supporting the Kitsap Pumas and assistant coaches with deep local soccer roots.
MATCH PHOTOS: Jesse MacKenzie / Diego Mejia / Club / Fans
They did it in a way that was both improbable and resilient, going down to 10 men in the 56th minute, absorbing constant pressure from Nido Seattle, and then getting an out-of-this-world touch from Michael Divano in the 87th minute.
Jeff Graham of the Kitsap Sun recapped the match in a front of sports page spread. See the images below.
What A Script
“The final was something I wouldn’t have believed if I had read the script before kickoff,” POFC gaffer Patrick Leonard says. “It felt like a game that had everything, but in saying all of that I saw true composure and resiliency from our guys. It is genuinely one of the proudest team performances I have ever been involved in. I could highlight name after name but the truth is, there are many names that didn’t wear a kit that night that are just as much part of the journey to this success.”
That One’s For Kitsap
“First of all, that one was for Kitsap!” declares assistant coach Gabe Threadgold. “Thank you to all the supporters and sponsors for making this championship possible. Without them, our players wouldn’t have the opportunity to run, sweat, and win for this community! To have such a talented group showcase what we’ve been grinding at all summer this weekend and come out on top is so rewarding, and honestly, deserved. I know the coaching staff was nothing but pleased with how the boys showed up Friday and Sunday… couldn’t have asked for anymore! Go PO!”
Blood, Sweat and Tears
“The final was a true testament to the blood sweat and tears that literally every single member of the squad has put in the whole season,” says General Manager Sam Ironside. “Having the resilience and grit to see out the majority of the second half of the season with 10 men in what was our toughest game of the season was truly commendable and showed how much everyone wanted to push this to the end. We have gone from last season which perpetually felt like a jigsaw puzzle that had a piece missing to a season and a final where every squad member was bought into the end goal and whether they played 5 minutes or 90 minutes wanted to play their role and win something for the club. Couldn’t have wished for a better ending to a great (and undefeated) season.”
Three Years, Three Finals
Port Orchard FC have advanced to the league finals in all three seasons of the club’s existence, winning it all in 2023 and 2025 and losing 1-0 in 2024. Club Coordinator David Falk loves the high standards and excellent acheivements. “We measure ourselves both on and off the pitch as an organization. Kitsap County can feel very proud of this club in many areas: community support, local player talent and dedication, business sponsorships, and growing exposure and coverage from local news outlets and media. Every season we start with the idea of building on what has come before. 2025 has been a wonderful story of having it all come together.”
Praise From Coach Pat
“I’m grateful for the way each and every person involved in this club owned their role and truly gave everything for the cause,” says Leonard. “From behind the scenes guys like Sam, David, Peter (Zastrow), Tyler (Brown), and other volunteers, to the incredible coaches supporting me, the platform for success has been in the works far before our season kicked off.”
What A Weekend
Port Orchard FC began the weekend on Friday night July 25 with a 5-1 win over Seattle Celtic in the semifinals. Derek Johnson had two goals and two assists in that one, aiding Michael Divano on his two goals. It was a taste of what would happen late in the final on Sunday.
Before the end of match heroics against Seattle, Divano rolled a free kick under the Nido wall in the first half to put POFC up, 1-0. The kick was secured on a run and foul call in favor of Dominik Pajimola.
Tough Calls For Captain Caleb
Caleb Gilbert, a team co-captain and defensive rock for POFC, got an early yellow card in the first half. It was a fair play and might have been the referee’s way of sending a message about how he would call the contest. When Gilbert got a second yellow in the 56th minute it was again not an intentionally rough or ‘dirty’ play in any way. Just tough breaks for the Gig Harbor guy and for his team. The second yellow meant Caleb was off with a red and POFC would finish the match down a man for 40 minutes.
We Only Had 10 Men
Nido Seattle took advantage and soon after they were even. Instinctively the 10 guys on the pitch for POFC knew it was time for everyone to concentrate on team defense. So attackers became stoppers and rushes at goal were measured.
Nido became frustrated at times because POFC maintained a fair spell of possession. Then when it seemed like overtime was coming, Derek Johnson found Michael Divano on a break. The ball bounced ahead of him and Divano got only the slightest touch on it. But it was a magic touch, rolling the ball around Nido goalkeeper Nathan Salveson as he looked back helplessly and the large crowd erupted.
Home Away From Home In Puyallup
Port Orchard completed a 10-0-1 season with a trophy lift amid the din of celebrating supporters. In three seasons of trips to WPFC Soccer Complex in Puyallup the club now has an overall record of 5-1 in the CPL playoffs. And two trophies. (Add in a regular season win over WPFC Legends back in June and and the mark goes to 6-1 at the venue.)
Patrick Leonard says 2025 is the best season yet for Port Orchard FC. “The players have been fantastic every step of the way and deserved to feel that success Sunday night. My true hope is that the supporters and the community behind this club feel a true sense of pride, because this title represents them and the way they have built this club up.”
Jordan Hadden Goes From Player To Assistant Coach
Helping guide the POFC journey (especially the goalkeepers) in 2025, Jordan Hadden had a unique view as the hero of the 2024 semifinals and starting keeper in a 1-0 final loss. An offseason injury kept Jordan off the pitch but he stayed with his club.
“Looking back from last year to this year I think there were a lot of players who felt like the job wasn’t done,” Says Hadden. “Going from having a up and down sort of season to getting to the championship and losing knowing that we may have had more of an opportunity to be better that year was something that stuck with a lot of these players, including me. And going into this season, I felt like there was still some of that drive to get back to where we should’ve been at the end of last season.”
“The players bought in, players sacrificed, and the players also made sure to put in extra effort during training and games (in 2025.) The coaching staff and the office staff really made sure to give everyone what they needed going into this season. Which means we were also all bought into the cause. This club represents all of Kitsap County and I think that means a lot to a lot of these players, considering that most of them live or have lived in Kitsap County for a majority of their life. I’m proud to represent this club as a coach, and I am looking forward to seeing what we do in the future.”
