By Kaila Cove
The Whatcom men’s soccer team has won the North Conference title, a competition between regional community college soccer teams.
The team has defended this championship title for the second year in a row.
Bakary Dibba, a forward on the Whatcom men’s soccer team, is satisfied with the way his team played, “We played extremely well, and that’s why we got the win at the end.”
Lucas Leiberman, number six, keeps control of the ball at Orca Feild during a match
Dibba believes the team could win the conference next year because, “the team will be really strong and the chemistry is already there as well.” He hopes to play for Whatcom again next season.
Dibba gives credit to the team’s head coach, Jason Jorgensen, for the success in the game, “The coach contributes in everything as he’s the one who makes us wake up at 5 a.m. to practice all that is to get us better and prepared for our opponents.”
During the conference, Whatcom had won 11 games, tied one, and lost three. The team this season has scored 52 goals.
Jorgensen said, “It occurred with the boys having focus, determination, and knowing what was on the line. They played some of the best soccer in all the NWAC and that day displayed why they are one of the best teams in the country.” Jorgensen says that Whatcom men’s soccer is ranked 12th out of all the community colleges in the nation.
Jorgensen hopes that the team is able to reclaim the North Conference title again next year. He says it will “depend on what the players do in the off season and the new group of players coming in for 2019.”
During this game, Whatcom had the help of a guest, 9-year-old Tyson Barksdale. “He gave the pregame and halftime speech that helped propel the team to the win. Barksdale was given this experience as part of Whatcom’s participation in the 2018 Rotary Auction where he was gifted “Coach a Day” for Whatcom men’s soccer team. He kept it simple and said, ‘go out there have fun and do what you do best.’ At half time he said ‘you guys are doing great… keep it up,’” said Jorgenson.
Whatcom beat Shoreline in the title, winning game with a score of 8-0.
Midfielder Bekele Dowtry dribbles the ball down the field while facing an opponent
A midfielder for Shoreline, Babucarr Cham, said, “My team played really bad.” He said that most of the team’s key players were injured.
“Unfortunately Shoreline had not won a game all season up to that point and were playing their last 2018 game,” Jorgensen said.
“My opponents are really good, and they had a complete squad,” Cham said. He felt the title winning game was very intense.
Jorgensen said, “We just try to install our knowledge and give back the lessons we learned in our years. The rest is up to the team come game day.”
“They push themselves daily to be the best, and this in itself helped each player in the program contribute not only to the conference winning game but the entire season,” Jorgensen said. He explained that each player on the Whatcom men’s soccer team has helped contribute to the success of this season by bringing a unique dynamic that makes this team whole.
In the end on Nov. 11, Whatcom ending up losing in the NWCA championship game with a score of 0-2.
