SEQUIM — Deep, experienced and full of potential, the Sequim girls soccer team plans to reload and not rebuild this fall after making a run to the state tournament in 2023.
The Wolves graduated all-time leading goal scorer Taryn Johnson to NCAA Division II Minnesota-Mankato and all-Olympic Leaguers and multi-year starters Jenny Gomez and Kaia Lestage.
New head coach Haley Sue Freeman has taken over the program after Ken Garling (36-19) stepped away after three successful seasons in charge to spend more time with his family, including grandchildren.
Freeman, a lifelong soccer player, was a team captain at Auburn High School and Green River College and has prior assistant coaching experience at Eatonville. She’s also working in-district as an elementary arts teacher at Helen Haller Elementary.
Program turnout is high enough to field a junior varsity team once again, a boon for the team’s future, but this season also stands to be something special.
“I think we have a really, really strong team this year,” Freeman said. “We have excellent senior leaders returning for us, our upperclassmen are mostly defensive-oriented, and we have Kalli Grove, so to have a senior goalkeeper that skilled, it’s a huge bonus.”
Senior defenders Ivy Barrett, Libby Turella and Amara Gonzales all return along the back line.
Turella was a second-team all-Olympic League pick last fall.
“Libby is our center back, the heart of our defensive line,” Freeman said. “Having someone who knows the game of soccer so well and is the leader of our defense is incredible.”
Barrett is skilled defensively and also has the speed and ability to go upfield offensively.
“I love the way Ivy plays,” Freeman said. “She’s so smart on the ball and really understands the game. We are trying to get her to be a defensive midfielder and link up and go up on offense.”
Junior Raimey Brewer was a second-team all-Olympic League pick last fall along with sophomore Olive Bridge.
“Raimey will be our corner taker, our set piece taker,” Freeman said. “She’s got an amazing shot and can really rip shots from deep, so she’s going to be really hard to defend.”
Bridge’s composure and maturity impresses Freeman.
“A physically strong player, a lot of times strong players aren’t as fast, but she’s really a well- rounded player and she’s fast. She really has an amazing way of carrying herself. She’s very confident and poised. I talked to her last season and only after the conversation I found out she was a freshman.”
Sasha Yada also had a strong freshman season on varsity.
“She has a knack for finding the back of the net,” Freeman said.
Injuries kept Hailey Wagner off the field in 2023, and sophomore Harper Moore also was hampered last fall. Both are back and healthy.
Three freshmen made the varsity squad, and Freeman is excited about their potential.
Freeman said Kaiya Robinson will work the outside and play the boundaries of the field. “She’s tall and fast and excited to play. She has an awesome shot as well.”
Aliyah Siemion will play as a defender. “Fiery, has grit and she will push herself to the max,” Freeman said.
Freeman described Ruby Moxley-Horgan as an extremely talented midfielder. “She’s great on the ball and I’m super excited about Ruby. I see her as being a top goal-scorer and a top assist-maker,” Freeman said. “She’s going to be hard to defend. She’ll be working with Raimey and Olive as the heart of our offense. She’s got an amazing shot.”
Team chemistry has been a focus in preseason, just as it was last fall when the seniors made a point of including freshmen as core parts of the team.
“I am seeing that team unity develop within the whole program and the two different teams,” Freeman said.
“We had the team over for a picnic and some yard games this past weekend, and I’m trying to build a bond within the girls. I’ve been really impressed with the seniors for them reaching out and making the freshmen feel welcome.”
Sequim Wolves
• Head coach: Haley Sue Freeman (first season)
• Last Season: (11-3-0, 13-5-0) second in Olympic 2A. 2-1 at districts, advanced to Class 2A state tournament.
• Returners: Kalli Grove (GK, Sr.); Ivy Barrett (D, Sr.); Amara Gonzales (D, Sr.); Libby Turella (D, Sr.) Raimey Brewer (M/F/Jr.); Kiley Winter (M/Jr.); Sasha Yaea (F, So.); Olive Bridge (MF, So.); Bella Rich (F/So.); Hailey Wagner (Jr.)
• Newcomers: Kaiya Robinson (F/MF, Fr.); Aliyah Siemion (D, Fr.); Ruby Moxley-Horgan (MF/Fr.); Lily Sparks (F, So.).
• Outlook: Despite losing the leading goal-scorer in Sequim history and other all-league seniors, Sequim has the talent to make another run at the state tournament this fall.
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Sports reporter/columnist Michael Carman can be contacted at sports@ peninsuladailynews.com.
KEITH THORPE/PENINSULA DAILY NEWS Sequim goalkeeper Kalli Grove clutched the ball after withstanding a shot by Port Angeles’ Piper Alton, lower left, and is assisted by teammateAmara Gonzalez, center, on Tuesday in Port Angeles.
