After a surprisingly slow start to the year, the Sehome High School boys’ soccer team are playing their best when it matters the most—at the end of the season.
The Mariners will take a district championship and 15-match unbeaten streak into the first round of the Class 2A state playoffs with designs on claiming the program’s first state championship since 2008.
Sehome (15-1-3) punched its ticket to the state tournament for a second consecutive year and third time over the last four seasons following a 2-1 triumph over Liberty of Issaquah in the 2A District 1/2 championship on May 11 to secure the district’s top seed into the field of 16.
Coached by Richard Henderson, Sehome—which lost to Northwest League rival Bellingham in last year’s district finals—will be making its 23rd all-time appearance at the state tournament when it hosts 2A Olympic League runner-up Port Angeles in the first round on May 14. The match is scheduled to start at 6 p.m. at Civic Stadium.

The Rough Riders (14-4-0) enter state as the No. 5 seed out of the 2A West Central District. Port Angeles defeated Highline, 2-1, in overtime in its last match.
The winner will face the winner of the match between 2A Greater Saint Helens League runner-up Woodland (12-4-2) and 2A Olympic League champion Sequim (15-1-2) in the quarterfinals.
Few squads enter state play as hot as the Mariners, who are 14-0-1 in their last 15 games. Sehome, which advanced to the state quarterfinals last year, opened the season 1-1-2 with ties against Squalicum (1-1) and Bellingham (0-0) and a 3-2 loss to Burlington-Edison on March 19.
Sehome has yet to suffer a defeat since being bested by the Tigers, outscoring its opponents a combined 49-8 during its 15-match run with nine shutouts.
The Mariners have already been tested this postseason as they opened the district tournament with a thrilling 4-3 overtime victory over Mountlake Terrace. Sehome received early goals from Skyler Weight and Colby Hansen to take a quick 2-0 lead. Fellow senior Morgan Antico found the back of the net for the Mariners’ third tally of the game.
Weight notched his second goal three minutes into the extra session to push Sehome into the next round where the Mariners avenged their earlier season setback to Burlington-Edison by knocking off the Tigers, 3-1, in the rematch.
Sehome is attempting to claim its third state championship in program history. In addition to winning the 2008 title, the Mariners also took home the first-place trophy in 2002.
It will be a busy week for Sehome athletics as the boys’ soccer team won’t be the only Mariners squad heading to the state tournament as Sehome’s baseball team continued its season by wrapping up the No. 4 seed out of the 2A District 1/2 tournament.

The Mariners (16-9) lost to league foe Lynden, 10-4, in the seeding round. With the victory the Lions (18-5) take the third seed into state.
Sehome knocked off Lynden, 4-2, in the district quarterfinals on May 4 before losing to Archbishop Murphy, 6-3, in the semifinals.
Lynden advanced to the seeding round by posting back-to-back loser-out victories, defeating Blaine and Anacortes. Sehome kept its season alive with an 11-0 thumping of Sedro-Woolley in a loser-out contest before facing Lynden on May 11.

The Lions will face 2A South Puget Sound League champion Fife (19-3) in the first round of state at 10 a.m. on May 18 at Daniels Field in Anacortes with the winner playing the winner of North Mason and Liberty of Issaquah at 4 p.m.
Sehome will play Port Angeles (19-4) in its opening round game at Auburn High School at 10 a.m. on May 18. Columbia River and West Valley of Yakima meet in the opposite bracket with winners playing in the quarterfinals.
The 2A state baseball semifinals will be on May 24 in Yakima with the finals on May 25.
Squalicum Heating to 3A Boys State Soccer Tournament

The Storm (13-2-4) rebounded from a first-round defeat at the district tournament to secure its third straight trip to the Class 3A boys’ soccer tournament with a 2-0 victory over Edmonds-Woodway.
Squalicum, which won state titles in 2009 and 2012, will play KingCo runner-up Lakeside of Seattle (13-0-5) in the first round of the state tournament.
Meridian Returns to 1A State Baseball Tournament
For a fifth consecutive season, the Meridian High School boys’ baseball team is heading to the Class 1A state tournament. The Trojans (11-11) claimed the district’s No. 2 seed, losing to Cedar Park Christian, 12-0, in the district championship game.
Meridian will travel to Castle Rock High School on May 18 to play Seattle Christian (16-5) in the opening round at 10 a.m. Montesano (21-2) and College Place play at 1 p.m. with winners meeting in the quarterfinals at 4 p.m.