SNOHOMISH, WA— The Snohomish County FC Steelheads Men are halfway through their first-ever Western Indoor Soccer League (WISL) season and are focusing on little things that can make a big difference in winning matches in the hyper-competitive league.
SATURDAY Jan. 8: Bellingham United at Steelheads, 7 PM, Snohomish Soccer Dome
“Talent alone will not win games. Indoor soccer is the same sport but a different game,” says Head Coach Jim Kessler, whose team finds itself with a 2-3 record after 5 matches. “This game requires that we execute the small things in a cohesive way to create results. From training time to game time, we have to be on the same page to get the results we want.”
“5 games together, and a couple months of training, the guys are starting to see how simple we can make the game and become successful,” Kessler continues. “They are also starting to see how not executing the simple things allows the other team to succeed. We are learning what we do well and what we will improve on.”
The Steelheads opened with a win over Oly Town at the Snohomish Sports Dome. They fought level with table toppers unbeaten Tacoma Stars Reserves before falling late on. A trip to Portland resulted in a loss to the Blacktails. The Fish rebounded with a win over the Force at home. Then the team lost a rematch with the Artesians. Altogether it’s a 2-3 record that is good enough for 4th place and a playoff spot right now. But the second half will provide a stiff challenge.
2021-22 Steelheads Men WISL Schedule and Results
| Date | Time | Home | v. | Away | Venue |
| Sat. Oct. 30 | 7 PM | Breast Cancer | $800 Raised | Benefit Match | Snohomish Dome |
| Sat. Nov. 6 | 7:30 PM | STEELHEADS | 7-4 | Oly Town | Snohomish Dome |
| Sun. Nov. 28 | 4 PM | STEELHEADS | 3-7 | Tacoma | Snohomish Dome |
| Sat. Dec. 4 | TBA | Portland | 8-4 | STEELHEADS | Mittleman |
| Sat. Dec. 11 | 7 PM | STEELHEADS | 6-4 | Oly-Pen | Snohomish Dome |
| Sat. Dec. 18 | TBA | Oly Town | 7-5 | STEELHEADS | Pavilion |
| Sat. Jan. 8 | 7 PM | STEELHEADS | v. | Bellingham | Snohomish Dome |
| Sat. Jan. 15 | TBA | Tacoma | v. | STEELHEADS | TSC |
| Fri. Jan. 21 | 7:30 | Bellingham | v. | STEELHEADS | Sportsplex |
| Sat. Jan. 22 | 7 PM | STEELHEADS | v. | Portland | Snohomish Dome |
| Sat. Jan. 29 | TBA | Oly-Pen | v. | STEELHEADS | OPS |
| Sat. Feb. 5 | TBA | WISL Playoffs | Semifinals | TBA | |
| Sat. Feb. 12 | TBA | WISL Playoffs | FINAL | TBA |
*=Match time / date not yet finalized.
Tickets $10 at the door.
All Home Matches Played At Snohomish Sports Dome
SnoCo FC General Manager Dorian Lair looks at the schedule and sees both danger and opportunity. The Steelheads play powerhouse Bellingham United twice and unbeaten Tacoma down at their place. “These will be the big tests,” Lair admits. “We have shown we can hang with these guys in early quarters but just have to finish. We have to make sure our last few games at home are BIG. We need the whole community involved and making some noise.”
Lair is not only watching the progress on the pitch — and often in front of the net as a goalkeeper— but also the staging of matches at the Dome. “We have learned that it takes a team effort to put together a complete showing Home and Away, both on and off the field,” Dorian says. “We have seen that when all the pieces are put together and everyone pulls their weight, not only do we come away with wins, but all of our supporters, fans and partners all benefit from the collaborative effort! While we are still the new kids on the block and learning things as we go, we can see that we can hang with the big dogs.”
Now comes the challenge of playing the contenders and trying to keep hold of a playoff spot. Coach Kessler says early lessons have been learned. “From here forward, we know that if we play as a unit, we will make a run through the end of the season and into the playoffs and establish ourselves in the league.”
For Kessler, keeping things simple will be key. “Executing simple things are the keys to putting together 4 quarters of fine soccer. As a team, we have seen what we can do when we play as one and what we must improve on to ensure success.”
Goalkeeper and scoring numbers after 5 matches…
| Goalkeeper | Record | Goals Against Average |
| Trevor Davoren | 1-2 | 6.3 |
| Dorian Lair | 1-1 | 5.5 |
| Player | Goals | Assists |
| Glenn Paden | 7 | 3 |
| Jeremy Maldonado | 5 | 2 |
| Cristiano Whitaker | 4 | 6 |
| Andrew Escalante | 3 | 3 |
| Devin Shull | 1 | 3 |
| Cesar Zavalza | 1 | 1 |
| Bryce Coffin | 1 | |
| Jordan Correa | 1 | 1 |
| Cesar Avila | 1 | |
| Jacen Stein | 1 | |
| Tyler Sharp | 2 | |
| Drew Ferris | 1 |
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