The Vashon High School football team traveled to Blaine on Sept. 15 for the final non-league game of the season.

Vashon (0-2) entered the game with losses to Fort Vancouver and Sultan. Meanwhile, Blaine (0-2) lost their first two games to a pair of 2A teams in Port Angeles and Sehome.

Last season the Pirates hosted Blaine and came out on top with a gritty 17-6 victory over the Borderites.

This time around, Blaine got the better of Vashon, posting a 55-0 win.

The Pirate team never gave up and fought hard until the last whistle, in a battle with a Blaine team with a roster that was double the size of the Pirates.

Vashon displayed excellent sportsmanship and work ethic in a very tough loss that night.

The ballers are a great bunch of men who have certainly had their share of adversity over the past two years. The tragic death of coach Clay Eastly, in May of 2022, left many not knowing if football would even continue at VHS.

Manu Samanna-Spagnoli, a Vashon alum, stepped up and took the head coach position to ensure that the program would continue at VHS. He led the Pirates to a 6-3 record last season, missing the playoffs by a game.

This season, Coach Manu stepped down and Brian Banducci took over the team after two games.

Despite all the changes, the team members have stayed strong and are dedicated to football continuing in the future. As a parent of a current player, I’d like to commend these players for showing the community what we can overcome if we stick together. Thanks for inspiring friends and family to be the best version of themselves. Great job, guys!

Vashon opens Nisqually league play on Thursday, Sept. 28, at Klahowya Secondary School.

Last season’s game was very competitive, but the Pirates pulled out a 17-14 victory at home. The full schedule for games can be found at govashonpirates.com.

Thanks to everyone for supporting Vashon Football — go Pirates!