On Thursday, Oct. 20, the Vashon Island High School girls’ soccer team won its last home game of the season against the Charles Wright Tarriers. Playing the rival team was a fitting last home game as the Pirates had suffered a painful loss at the last game against Charles Wright and weren’t about to let it happen again.

The Pirates went out with high intensity, intent on winning their last home game for Senior Night. The Tarriers were under so much pressure that they could barely complete a pass. The night really took off when the scoring started. Senior Madison Brown kicked things off by stealing the ball from the Tarriers, dancing past the defense and blasting the ball past the goalie and into the back of the net. The beautiful shot was a great start to Senior Night. Soon after that, senior Lauren Jenks took the ball down the right side and crossed it in to senior Bailey Ormsby, who expertly finished it like she has been doing the entire season. But the Pirates were not done yet. Their next act came with a pass from Jenks and a left-footed shot from Dalia Aladin that lofted up and ducked just under the crossbar. Aladin struck again soon after that when another through ball from Jenks put Aladin one-on-one with the keeper. She slotted the ball calmly past the onrushing keeper to put the Pirates up 4-0 before half time.

At half time, the Pirates walked into the locker room to discuss how to hold onto their lead, and the crowd was entertained by Adri Yarkin and her bagpipe. Coach Alan Zoltie is from Scotland and asked Yarkin to perform for Senior Night. He and his accent are a huge part of why the team is so successful, and the girls love having him as a coach.

The second half began, and the Tarriers came out much harder in the second half. Despite Charles Wright’s best efforts, nothing they did could compare to the efforts of the Pirates. VHS was dead set on winning and keeping a shut out.

The next goal for the Pirates came from a cross by Aladin. She made a great run to the corner and whipped the ball across the face of the goal. Unfortunately for the Tarriers, the first person to be on the end of the cross was a Charles Wright player and a tip from her put the Pirates up 5-0.

The Pirates defense did a good job of keeping the Tarriers away from the goal. Not afraid of a little mud, Sydnee Adams rushed out at the Tarrier player and slid to grab the ball, keeping the shut out. The night finished with a score of 5-0, but it wasn’t over yet. As the game ended, a couple Pirates players rushed off to get everything to celebrate Senior Night. The seniors: Kat Andrus, Madison Brown, Maria Gilmour, Lauren Jenks, Aimee Olson, Bailey Ormbsy, Mira Peterson and Grace Riggs, really were senior queens with their crowns and flowers. There was cake and a lot of hugging. Even stoic Zoltie may or may not have shed a tear. The Pirates are so proud of all of their seniors.

The Pirate girls lost their last regular season game Monday to Bellevue Christian, 2-0.

— Paris Crispin is a member of the VHS girls’ soccer team.