Wildcat soccer off to strong start despite injuries

Mount Si’s boys soccer team last Friday, April 2, found themselves a bit shorthanded for their game against the Liberty Patriots due to several player injuries. That, however, did not make a difference, as they continued their solid start to their season.

Several player injuries made for a shorthanded Mount Si soccer team, as the boys faced Liberty last Friday, April 2.

But bodily hurts did not make a difference, as the Wildcats continued their solid start to the season.

Dyson Fowler scored twice and added an assist as the Wildcats took care of the Patriots 4-0 on a windy and rainy night at the Mount Si stadium. Kody Clearman and Chace Carlson scored the other goals for the Wildcats, who remain unbeaten to start the season at 5-0-2. Coach Darren Brown praised his senior leader.

“He’s not only the fastest guy in this league, but he’ll probably lead the league in scoring,” Brown said.

Carlson got on the board first in the ninth minute, as he punched it in on a set piece off a free kick past Liberty goalkeeper Logan Robinson. Fowler tallied the first of his two in the 34th minute. From a Ryan Herman free kick, the ball got out in front of Robinson and after a battle in front to find the ball, Fowler was there to clean it up and rip it in to make it 2-0, which is how it went into halftime.

Then, the senior in the 62nd minute dazzled the Wildcat fans with his second, amazing tally. Fowler threaded the ball through several Patriot defenders and drove toward Robinson, then fired the ball past the Liberty sophomore into the net to extend the lead to 3-0.

“I just got the ball about midfield, and I looked up, saw a couple defenders, took it at them and got it past them,” Fowler said. “I just headed for the goal and put it away.

“One of my better games,” the senior added. “I felt that I held possession well.”

That individual effort was followed up by a goal from Clearman as the final whistle sounded. The freshman won a battle for the ball with a Patriot defender, then proceeded to ram it home past Robinson to close things out. The buzzer beater was the second in as many games for Clearman, who did the same thing in Mount Si’s game at Mercer Island last Tuesday, March 30.

Clearman is thrilled to be on the varsity team.

“I love it,” he said.

“Clearman’s had two buzzer beaters,” Brown added. “We’re going to have to think of a nickname for him.”

‘Cats shock Islanders

In the game against Mercer Island, in addition to Clearman’s big finish, Doug Silvius also scored to help lead the Wildcats to a 2-0 victory against an Islander team seen as league favorites this season. Both Clearman and Silvius scored their goals in second-half stoppage time to break what had been a defensive struggle throughout the contest.

Mount Si hosts Interlake at 7:30 p.m. Friday, April 9.