Viking sports update | Girls soccer coach files complaint against FH

by Marty Zier

by Marty Zier

Sports contributor

Girls soccer

The Lady Vikings (1-7) down on players had a tough week losing to Mt. Vernon Christian 12-0 and Friday Harbor 9-0. The Friday Harbor game resulted in serious injury to two Viking players as a result of poor sportsmanship from the Wolverines. As much as the Vikings expect a fierce inter-island rivalry and understand the Wolverine mentality, Friday Harbor chose to field their full team despite the Vikings forced to play down to only nine players.

“It was awful and insane,” said Viking Coach Chris Doherty. “The referee did not take any of the Friday Harbor girls aside to control them from excessive kicking, pushing and stomping. The Friday Harbor coach did nothing. The Wolverines were way too aggressive and the main goal of refereeing from the WIAA is to keep players safe. This ref was absolutely incompetent and did nothing to keep my players safe. As a result, two Viking players ended up injured – one with a cracked tibia and another with a cracked ankle. At the promoting from other astonished refs, I filed a complaint with the WIAA.”

The Friday Harbor coach apologized for his players actions after the game, but Doherty said it was clearly “insincere.”

On Oct. 8, the Vikings lost to Concrete 3-0.

“This was a really good game, and I enjoyed the spirit of both teams,” said Doherty. “This was an even match and we have a lot of new players in new positions, and they really did well. Chela Scheckel-Mohler was my player of the game. She is a fighter, and her speed has improved. She was a star.”

LaConner comes to Orcas Island this week.

Boys soccer

The Viking boys (5-3) lost to Providence Classical Christian for the second time this season, 3-1, on Oct. 4. Head Coach Terry Turner commented that PCC had recently qualified for state finals and was one of the main teams to challenge the Vikings this season.

The Vikings met the Lopez Lobos on Oct. 7 for the second time this season and finished with their second win, 6-1. Lady Viking coach Doherty stepped in as a guest coach with Turner absent, and said enjoyed his experience.

“Lopez is a big rival,” said Doherty. “I did inject a few things, but I kept to Turner’s script for the game. I have to say that Henry McMurray and Geraldo Jimenez were both total gentlemen. They made me feel very comfortable as a guest coach, they knew their players and the correct match-ups. Total fun experience. I really enjoyed them and Levi Moss scored a hat trick.”

The boys travel to Mt. Vernon Christian this week.

Volleyball

The Lady Vikings (3-5) beat Mt Vernon Christian 3-2, on Oct. 4.

“The girls showed incredible teamwork in the win against Mount Vernon Christian,” said Coach Rebekah Hardee. “During the fourth set, one of our middles went down on her ankle and had to be taken off the court. I put a freshman in her place who had not played the position but because of the teamwork they all rallied around her and helped her play. We lost the fourth set by 6 points, sending us into the fifth set. We came out strong, winning 15-7. Later that night we found out that the Vikings had not beat MVC since 2011 – not even taken a set from them.”

The Vikings kept the moment with a win against Concrete, 3-0, on Oct. 8.

Hardee said the MVC win motivated the Vikings in their win at home against Concrete.

“We lost our first outing in 5 sets against Concrete, but were ready to play strong,” she said. “We beat them in three sets, never letting up. In the words of the Concrete coach after the match, ‘You started out like a freight train and never let up.'”