The Mount Si Wildcats boys’ soccer team turned a season of adversity into a big win last week.

Last Tuesday night against the Bellevue Wolverines, the Wildcats faced adversity in the form of only 13 Wildcat players available due to injuries and spring break. But, like their previous adverse situation in the game against Issaquah, Mount Si played hard and picked up a big win.

Star junior forward Gibson Bardsley scored twice and added an assist on a goal by Adam Baumgardner as Mount Si eked out a 3-2 win over the Wolverines.

“It was a hard-fought battle and that’s what we need to do every match from here on out, we need to fight, be aggressive and scrap for any 50/50 ball, and that’s what we did tonight. Bellevue’s a good team, and it kind of showed tonight. I mean, it was back and forth all night long and I credit their team for working hard and coming back from a 2-0 deficit,” said Mount Si coach Darren Brown. His team moved within one point of the fourth and final Kingco playoff spot with the victory.

The Wildcats struck quickly. On two consecutive shots on goal in the 14th and 15th minutes, Mount Si scored. The first one was Bardsley, who took a feed from teammate Kevin Isackson and made an acrobatic play to fire the shot home. Baumgardner then struck, taking the pass from Bardsley and firing it into the net.

“It was just a great ball from Gibson and then an easy finish, and that’s about it,” Baumgardner said.

Doug Harrell scored on a header for the Wolverines in the 34th minute and Bellevue cut the deficit in half.

Justin Kaye tied the game for the Wolverines in the 51st minute on a penalty kick. Then Wildcat Cody Tipton took over. Tipton, a freshman, started in the goal replacing injured Bryce Werman. Tipton made great plays to keep the game tied.

“Tipton had a great game, there’s no denying that. He definitely stepped up and proved that he’s only going to get better as the years go by,” defender Jace Derwin said.

Tipton’s work paid off for the Wildcats in the 67th minute. A Wolverines handball in the penalty area allowed Bardsley to attempt his own penalty kick and he made no mistakes putting it into the net which put Mount Si back into the lead. Tipton stayed tough in net by not allowing anything past him the rest of the way and the Wildcats scored another victory under pressure.