You couldn’t ask for a better homecoming. The 4-4 Lobos, fresh from an overtime shoot-out win against LaConner, hosted the 5-4 Coupeville Wolves in what was predicted to be a close game. Lopez spoiled Coupeville’s homecoming last year 3-0, but the Wolves turned around and knocked Lopez out of the playoffs in a tie-breaker. The rivalry continued Oct 17, enjoyed by a raucous homecoming crowd. As expected, the teams played evenly throughout the first half, Coupeville finally scoring in the thirty-fourth minute, the ball soaring over keeper Jacob Sanford’s head. Lopez opened the second half with a third minute tying goal by Jacob Velazquez-Velazco, a long shot over their keeper’s head. The teams then traded attacks up and down the field, shots on goal just missing the mark or being stifled by both goal keepers. With only five minutes left, Coupeville scored on a corner kick, going up 2-1, silencing the crowd. But less than a minute later, Velazquez-Velazco took a cross from Rafa Velazquez and drove it low and past the Coupeville keeper. Official time ended with the teams tied two apiece, sending play into a ten-minute overtime. The pace of play was nothing short of furious, and it looked like things would be decided by always-unpredictable penalty kicks.. But Velazquez-Velazco scored his third goal for the win just as time expired. The entire team swarmed the field in celebration.

Coach Mycah Kraushaar described it as “one of the best games I’ve ever seen them play. Jacob Sanford had some amazing saves, Henry Robles, Rowdy Spreine, and Oliver Rick played some of the best defense they’ve played yet, and Jacob Velazquez-Velasco got a three-goal hat trick! I’m just so proud of all of them.”

Lopez ends its regular season against Friday Harbor on Oct.26 at home.