Dan Scott throws his body into the Pumas cause.
Bremerton, Wash. – Put the celebration on hold - at least for one more match.
With a berth to the playoffs on the line, the Kitsap Pumas dropped their regular-season home finale 1-0 against the Portland Timbers U23 in front of 1,267 fans tonight at Bremerton Memorial Stadium.
See also: Kitsap Sun match report, GOALKitsap.com forums playoff update
Brian Ramsey’s goal in the 22nd minute proved enough for the Timbers U23, who finished the regular season with a perfect 16-0-0 record and handed Kitsap it’s only two losses this season.
“Portland, God bless ‘em, they had a great year,” Pumas coach Peter Fewing said. “You‘ve got to give them credit for creating their own luck.”
Sunday’s luck wasn’t on the side of the Pumas (10-2-2, 32 points), who had numerous scoring opportunities but couldn’t convert any of them. The loss was the first-ever on the Pumas' home turf in a regular-season match.
Kitsap though nearly took the lead before the crowd had settled into their seats. In the 1st minute, forward Cameron Hepple sent a cross through the box to an open John Fishbaugher, whose shot was deflected by goalkeeper Jacob Gleeson. Hepple also created two chances in the second half, making a deep run in the 72nd minute before getting tripped up in a collision with Gleeson en route to the net. That incident led to some incidental pushing and shoving between players from both sides and two yellow cards were awarded, one to Hepple and one to Portland's Dylan Kowanchuk.
In the 86th minute, the first-year forward nearly found the far post on a free kick from 35 yards out on the left side, but the ball sailed just over the crossbar, leaving Hepple staring at the sky and shaking his head.
Cameron Hepple creates for Kitsap.
“We had chances, they had chances,” Hepple said. “I guess today just wasn’t our day. It’s just frustrating.”
What may have been most frustrating for Kitsap was the fact it didn’t clinch its second berth to the playoffs in as many seasons.
The second-place Pumas hold a three-point lead over the Tacoma Tide for the second and final playoff spot from the Premier Development League Northwest Division, but they must wait for another chance to clinch. Kitsap visits the Vancouver Whitecaps Wednesday night before concluding the regular season next Saturday, July 24 on the road against the Tide.
Portland, the highest-scoring team in the league with 53 goals, has clinched the division and a No. 1 seed. The Timbers U23 also defeated Kitsap 3-0 June 5.
The win also made Portland the first PDL team since 1998 to finish with an unblemished record.
“We wanted to pay them back for the game at their place,” Fewing said. “Hopefully we get another chance.”
Despite the outcome, the Pumas walked away feeling as though they were the better team, something Portland coach Jim Rilatt acknowledged, too.
“Kitsap, still to me, organizationally, is the class (of the league)” Rilatt said. “Their players are good. It’s just the breaks.”
Added Hepple, “Tonight we thought we deserved it. Everything was there. The ball just didn’t go into the back of the net.”
This was the second game in as many nights for the Timbers U23, who defeated the Victoria Highlanders 4-1 last night, also on the road.
Tye Perdido tries to split the Portland defense.
The club is finalizing its bid to host the Western Conference playoffs, to be held a week from Thursday here in Kitsap. That format will feature the top two teams from the Northwest Division squaring off against the top two from the Southwest Division. Most likely it would feature a double header on Thursday or Friday, July 29 or 30th with the two winners of those matches facing each other Sunday, August 1.
"Bremerton Memorial and it's pristine natural grass surface, our organization and our fans should provide a great advantage to us in landing the playoffs, said Pumas executive director Ben Pecora. "We feel we have put together a very attractive and compelling bid."
The Kitsap Pumas contributed to this report.
Comments
Fewing has got to go. This year's team has more experience than last year's team, but is not winning as much or playing as attractive a style of soccer as last year's team. The only difference is Fewing who wants to play his former players, and has the team playing the boom ball that is common and the plague of Youth Soccer.
In spite of Fewing, let's hope the Pumas can get another 3 points and make it back into the playoofs. Go Pumas!
Agreed. Fewing plays his favorites, not the people right for the job. I am not sure he knows much about the game tactically either. Come on you Pumas!
I think that is a bit hasty really. The other teams in the division this year are heads and shoulders above what they were last year. The pumas are still top 3 in the entire PDL, how is that not good? They could use some more goals being banged in, thats for sure. Every coach has some players they may lean towards but so did John Wedge last year, it was just less observed because they were in first.
The one thing I've wondered about with Fewing is whether or not when the guys need to be yelled at, he is willing to be the 'bad guy.' Frankly, they've needed a swift kick / wake-up rant from a coach for over half the season.
Pumas are a professional team playing in the PDL!! They are expected to win the league and the national title according to Waite. Don't you think getting rid of John Wedge, who selected the first ever puma squad, won the league in his first year, made it to the quarter finals and barely lost to the national champs was a bit harsh?! TO say the other teams are head and shoulders above what they were last year is a joke. Portland u23's last year sent 7 players on to play professional: Barnet Englands 2nd division, Real Salt Lake, Puerto Rico Islanders, Pittsburg Riverhounds, NSC Minnesota, Salgaocar SC Indian I-League, and Guante called up for Puerto Rico 2010 World Cup Qualifier vs. Honduras. This year Timber u23's are made up of a bunch of college players, a couple of which will be pro soon Im sure.
Wolves last year were a good team, pumas beat them three times! Crossfire this year is struggling. Pumas are battling vs. tide, a bunch of tacoma locals, for a playoff spot. enough said
Don't get me wrong. I love the pumas and everything they stand for, but something is wrong... WHY was Jodan Jennings called up for Celtics game and not a puma keeper? nobody's to blame for that and I know the Brim Reeper is hurting right now, jennings did a great job, but i think it provides further evidence that those pumas working behind the scene are messing up.
1) Jennings playing in a Sounders friendly vice a Puma - Pumas fighting for a playoff spot while Tacoma and Jennings a week off. Do you really think the Pumas would allow Brim or Staples to suit up for the Sounders yesterday. No way!
2.) Looking at the coaching situation from a different perspective, if PF were to be let go after this season, that would mean the Pumas would be starting their 3rd season with 3 different coaches. That does not look good for any professional sports team. Do you really want the Pumas to be known as a team that cans coaches after a season? That would scare off alot of coaches and even players.
David...Coach Peter got to go way from kitsap!! When we are going to get a striker that can score goal’s? We need some one up front!!
Kitsap Kid, if Brim would have been called up to the Sounders, yesterday, he would have missed that important Pumas match? What do you do?
good point, but kitsap does have three keepers one of which was training with sounders earlier in the year.
The Pumas do have strikers! Just not ones that coaches plays. look at Phillips, leading scorer last year struggling under Fewing. Gordley, such a talent, rarely gets time. Wallenius, really sharp in preseason and early season, always provides a spark, but never gets in. The problem isnt the strikers, its how they are being managed. That said, the Pumas still has scored a ton of goals this year. Cha-lu-pa!
Stephen Phillips is too slow. Not a good match for quick wingers like Hepple.
David, we need a player that can score goals...some one good as Hepple...Can we steel get a new player? Phillips it is slow
Kitsap Fire, the Pumas can't add anymore players to their roster this time of year. The league roster deadline has passed.
Kitsap fan's tomorrow it ll be the day that the Pumas will make to the playoff!!!! Vancouver is going to go down, down.... Kitsap Rocks...
looks like some player from Sweden may become available soon.
Mr. Nice Guy But... Phillips wasn't to slow last year leading the team with goals. However phillips is a natural attacking mid and that is where most of his goals came from last year. Not sure why we havent seen him in the middle this year?
Phillips is not the the player we need, too slow for PDL! We need to get some one good that knows how score goals...Today is the say that Vancouver Whitecaps is going to go down...
phillips is not too slow. if PF used him in the attacking mid role he would be such a weapon.
Fans What a good tranfer for Kitsap...Warlen Silva a Brazilian Striker have arrived from Yakima Reds!!!! Go Kitsap
Wow. I cant believe they brought in another player for playoffs. What a slap in the face for all the other forwards who have been on the team this entire season and aren't getting any playing time.
Slap on the face? We have a lots of players but none have ability to score goals...We don't need "numbers" and yes quality!! Silva, Welcome to Kitsap...
Great to see the Pumas add a quality player for the last 2 matches and playoffs. With Christner still recovering from injury, another goal scorer needed. If the ultimate goal of the team is to win the championship and the players are onboard with this goal, then I do not see any of them getting upset that another player joins the team in game #15.
Chris...you right, playoffs is going to be stronger and add a Brazilian goal score like "Silva" brings more quality to the team and the players that is fighting for position it ll work harder...Great Job Kitsap Pumas!
Kitsp Rocks, none have the ability to score goals? let me point out that there were 6 goals tonight against vancouver, none of which were score by silva. nothing against him and im all for the pumas winning, i just feel sorry for the players that have put in all the work just to have a new guy step in right before playoffs when he did nothing to help get them there.
yes - 6 goals - against the 7th place Whitecaps Residency - not exactly the undefeated 16-win Timbers U-23's. Silva's scoring ability will be needed in the likely first round match against Ventura County Fusion in the playoffs and possible finals against Timbers U-23's.
me...the new player only played two minutes and create two chances to score goals.. work hard is one thing be smart is onother even better and you combine both... That is real soccer..
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