Vashon boys soccer wins district title, eyes state run

Published 1:30 am Tuesday, May 19, 2026

Vashon boys soccer coach John Thomas doesn’t envy the teams preparing to face the Pirates in the WIAA 1A state soccer tournament.

“I would hate to play us.”

After watching his Pirates roll through another season, it’s hard to argue.

Fresh off a 3-1 victory over Cascade Christian in the District 3 championship on May 14 — a redemption win after last year’s district title loss — Vashon earned the No. 2 seed in the state tournament and looks every bit like a team built for a deep postseason run.

The Pirates are 13-1-3, undefeated in Nisqually League play, and have outscored opponents 85-13 this season. They average nearly four more goals than their opponents each game and have rarely been tested. Their only loss came in a 2-1 defeat to undefeated 2A power Bainbridge, while they also battled defending 3A state champion Mercer Island to a draw.

But Thomas insists the numbers only tell part of the story.

“This wasn’t surprising,” Thomas said. “There was always a feeling this senior class was going to be different.”

Thomas has coached many of this year’s seniors since kindergarten and said this group always felt different. They developed through select soccer, club programs and regional competition before reuniting at the high school level. When they arrived as freshmen, Thomas remembers thinking they were ahead of schedule.

“That freshman team could beat the varsity,” he said.

Now, four years later, there are 15 seniors on a team Thomas believes was always pointed toward this moment.

Vashon has reached the state tournament five straight seasons, won the 1A state championship in 2019, and took fourth in 2024. The Pirates have also captured league titles in seven of the last eight seasons. But last season ended with a stunning 2-1 quarterfinal loss to King’s Way Christian that lingered long after the final whistle.

So Thomas changed his team’s approach this season.

The Pirates hired a mental strength coach to help players handle expectations and pressure after learning a difficult lesson a year ago.

“When you’re expected to win and you don’t, that can be rough,” Thomas said.

He also intentionally loaded the schedule with larger-school opponents, including Bainbridge and Mercer Island.

“I wanted us to get punched in the mouth a little bit and realize how hard it’s going to be,” Thomas said. “It taught us that nothing is given to you.”

The Pirates appear stronger because of it.

Thomas calls this year’s defensive group “the strongest back line I’ve seen,” led by seniors Gavin Keenan and Caeden Miller, both competing for league Defensive Player of the Year honors. Despite playing much of the year without a traditional goalkeeper, Vashon has allowed only a handful of shots per match.

Thomas credits senior midfielders Quill Tegenfeldt-Pfohman, Avery MacLean and Finn Kennan, and junior Sevie Giller, for controlling possession and limiting opponents’ scoring chances.

Offensively, the Pirates attack in waves.

Two-time league Offensive Player of the Year junior Mason Haynes headlines an attack that includes seniors Isaac Newcomb, Lewis Thompson and August Kampmeier — a player Thomas calls “the maestro everybody overlooks.” Thomas said limiting Haynes to playing half of each game this season was intentional, allowing the year-round player to stay fresh and simply enjoy the season.

Several Pirates are preparing to continue their careers at the next level. Newcomb and Tegenfeldt-Pfohman will play at NCAA Division III Lawrence University in Wisconsin, and MacLean is also drawing interest from Division III schools from across the country. Thompson plans to continue playing through Cal Poly’s nationally recognized club program.

Vashon High School Stadium will serve as host site for second-round and quarterfinal state tournament action this weekend.

On Friday, No. 10-seed Elma takes on No. 7-seed Royal at 5 p.m., while No. 18-seed Medical Lake and No. 15-seed Tonasket meet earlier in the week for the right to face the Pirates at 7 p.m. The winners will advance to Saturday’s quarterfinal matchup at 6 p.m.

“If you’re going to watch one sporting event on Vashon all year,” Thomas said, “these are probably the games.”

Eddie Macsalka is a contributing journalist for The Beachcomber.