‘They fight for each other’: Franklin Pierce soccer soars into 2A state semifinals
The Cardinals are soaring to new highs – and now possess the ultimate chance to return home with a coveted state championship ring.
In a first for each and every member of Franklin Pierce soccer, and a first for the program since 2018, the club rolled through the state quarterfinals and enter Friday’s 2A semis: the Final Four.
Two wins stand between Franklin Pierce and a title, and senior defender Preston Soeum believes the Cardinals are peaking, playing their best soccer of the season at the perfect time.
“It’s long-awaited. We finally did it,” Soeum told The News Tribune. “The last two years, we lost in the quarterfinals. But not this year.
“It means so much to us.”
In Franklin Pierce’s win over Squalicum in the 2A quarterfinals last Saturday, Soeum took over. Without twin brother and senior forward Marvin sharing the pitch, Preston assumed full control of the offense and notched a hat trick in his biggest game of the season – featuring a bicycle-kick score that was the difference between a semifinals berth and a trip home.
When brother Marvin exited less than five minutes into regulation with a foot injury, Preston went from trusted defender to feared scorer in a flash. His three goals lifted Franklin Pierce to victory, 4-3, shortly before the Cardinals celebrated on their home turf at Franklin Pierce Stadium, some brought to happy tears.
After falling for consecutive seasons in the quarterfinals, Franklin Pierce stomped down the door.
“Funny, right? The brother takes command of the top when his brother goes out,” Franklin Pierce coach Sammy Tafolla said. “(Preston) was the one that got us going.
“They lead the team well, and the guys really rely on them in terms of, how are the twins going to show up today? If they think we’re going to win, we can run through a brick wall.”
Make no mistake – Preston and Marvin both invaluable leaders for this seasoned squad. Marvin’s 75-plus-minute absence in the quarterfinals was tangible, Preston said. The skilled forward battled a bruised foot all season, but an awkward tackle in the fifth minute of Saturday’s game created unbearable, and unplayable, pain.
Unable to run at full speed, Marvin continues recovery, treatment, and icing. His status for Friday’s 2A semifinals with North Kitsap remains in the air, per Tafolla, though Preston appeared more confident in his brother’s availability.
“(Marvin) told me personally that he’s going to play, and he’s going to do everything he can to play,” Preston said.
STILL UNBEATEN
Tafolla, Franklin Pierce’s first-year head coach and former Pacific Lutheran University midfielder as recently as last year, still hasn’t lost a match at the helm. The Cardinals are 19-0-2 under his direction, credited by Soeum for the program’s resurgence among 2A’s perennial powerhouses.
“We’re faster, stronger, and we just play better with our new coach, Sammy,” Soeum said. “Our coaches (keep us going). They put a lot of spirit into our games.
“If you have low energy, they bring it up here,” he said, raising his hand, as if to raise the bar.
What’s the consistent, winning formula? These Cardinals are uber-aggressive in the box. They’ll fight for any ball. And there’s a sense of determination that Tafolla rarely sees, albeit in his first season.
“They fight for each other, whether they play one minute or the (entire) game,” he said.
It’s their bond, senior midfielder Ivan Salvador says. Many of them are teammates beyond Franklin Pierce on club rosters. They’re all soccer junkies, even spending free time to watch games together.
“Every day, we hang out,” Salvador said at Tuesday’s practice. “We go to school (together), too. That’s a big part of it.”
Their talented, senior-heavy roster dominated the 2A SPSL en route to undisputed league and district titles. Franklin Pierce drew Fife and White River in April, but won the other 19 matches by combined scores of 83-15.
“It’s pretty special,” Soeum said of the run. “Our center-mid [Ivan] and our wings are doing a lot of work. Personally, I’m just happy to be at the end of it, to put (the ball) away.”
UP NEXT
No. 3 North Kitsap awaits the No. 2 Cardinals in the 2A semifinals at Renton Memorial Stadium at noon Friday.
A win would pair Franklin Pierce with either No. 1 Sehome or No. 5 East Valley of Yakima in Saturday’s 2A championship game at 3 p.m.
“I want to improve their (state) record here,” Soeum said. “I want to have a name here.”
Just over one year ago, North Kitsap toppled Franklin Pierce in the district bracket in penalty kicks, 1-0, and claimed a runner-up finish at the state tournament. Both are top-three seeds in Saturday’s rematch.
“(We’re) very determined to win the whole thing,” Tafolla said. “They deserve it. And I hope they do.”
Added Salvador: “(A title) would mean a lot for the team, for the school, putting us on the map. Showing what Franklin Pierce can do.”
