Fog shrouded the field and the stage was set. After the JV’s thrilling 4-3 victory, it was almost inevitable that Varsity would pull the same card.

The Tides played aggressively for the full 80 minutes, cutting through Stadium’s defense and finding opportunities to finish. But the finishing was the only piece missing to the game. Opportunity after opportunity was missed. The score at half was 0-0, and there seemed to be something in the air.

However, the game took an unlikely turn. In the 55^th minute, the Tigers finished one of the few opportunities they had. The Tides were set back.

“It was definitely frustrating, a couple of defenders got frustrated and started pushing up,” Senior Emery Wallerich said. “We were trying to get everyone hyped.”

As the game lingered on, the Tides knew they had to answer. “I knew we had to get some goals, because we weren’t going to lose to Stadium.” Sophomore Leahi Manthai reflected on what was going through her head when down 1-0.

But the Tides’ pressure on the Tigers was unremitting. In the 65^th minute, the tension broke when Leahi Manthai tore through the Tigers’ defense and drilled the ball into the back of the net, it was 1-1.

The game suddenly became significant, word that first place South Kitsap had lost to second place Olympia, and the Tides had a chance to assert themselves among their top 4A district leaders with a win.

With the JV team cheering for their fellow Tides, with teammates screaming at each other to get the ball up, with two minutes on the clock, the Tides finally completed the comeback. In the 78^th minute, a through ball sent Leahi Manthai to goal and she finished the goal past the diving keeper. The Tides stood victorious in their unbelievable 2-1 victory.

Coach Dani States says “We were determined; Leahi’s pure determination drove the ball into the back of the net.”

“We just never gave up and persevered through the end.” Manthai said after game.

To reach the top of the division, the Tides must win the rest of their games. They play division leader Olympia on Tuesday, October 14^th at Olympia High School at 7:15pm.

I asked States what she was hoping to see in the game versus Olympia, she replied that “we scare sooner than later, to have more movement of the ball, and to keep that mentality throughout the game that we had against Stadium.”