By Zachary Takahashi

Special to the Reporter

Nearly 650 academy athletes and their sponsors were on the campus of Walla Walla University Oct. 8-10, for the Fall Classic, a three-day soccer and volleyball tournament. Fifteen men’s soccer teams competed in the tournament representing schools from Florida, Colorado, Virginia, California, Washington, Oregon as well as British Columbia and Alberta, Canada.

Puget Sound Adventist Academy, one of the smallest schools at the tournament, eagerly looked forward to defending their soccer title.

The air was heavy with anticipation as the Shark’s soccer team stepped out onto the field. Eleven players clad in white uniforms stood before the crowd across from them; 20 feet away stood the Auburn Adventist Academy soccer team.

As the championship game progressed it seemed doubtful that either team would score; many believed a penalty kick would have to determine the winner of the game. However, all thoughts of a penalty kick were erased as Omar Zarabia, forward for the Puget Sound Sharks, scored a goal against the Auburn Adventist Academy goalie. In the end, when the whistle blew out to signal the game had ended, the Sharks and their fans ran out to the middle of the soccer field, screaming and jumping in joy. The championship score was 1-0 in favor of the Sharks.

In men’s soccer, Kirkland’s Puget Sound Adventist Academy earned the championship title for the third year in a row with Mitchell Chinn awarded All Tournament Soccer player for the Sharks team. Auburn Adventist Academy and Portland Adventist Academy followed in second and third place, respectively.

Zachary Takahashi is a senior at Puget Sound Adventist Academy.