Pumas Insider

The Kitsap Pumas are bringing back one of their top players from the 2012 season.
Kitsap has reached a loan agreement with the Carolina RailHawks for forward Ben Truax, who scored eight goals for the Pumas last season.
Truax is in town and should be available to play Saturday when Kitsap (1-2-4) faces Portland at Gordon Field at 7 p.m.
“He’s ready to go,” Pumas owner Robin Waite said.
Truax didn’t make an appearance this season with the RailHawks, who play in the North American Soccer League, one level below Major League Soccer.

The good news is that in seven games, the Kitsap Pumas have lost only twice.
The bad news is that the Pumas only have one win over that same span of games.
“I’m sick of ties,” Kitsap coach James Ritchie said on Monday, two days after his team recorded its fourth consecutive tie with a 2-2 result against Vancouver. “It’s number one in the nation.”
Kitsap (1-2-4) is the only Premier Development League with four ties. FC Tucson and CFC Azul each have three.
Against Vancouver, Kitsap outshot the Whitecaps 15-4. Vancouver goalkeeper Simon Thomas made several outstanding saves, including three in the final 10 minutes, Ritchie said. Kitsap also hit the crossbar.
“I think we were really the better team,” Ritchie said. “We just came up against a goalkeeper who was on.”
Note: Defender Marc Tonkel has joined the team and is expected to be eligible to play Saturday against Portland at 7 p.m. Tonkel formerly played for the Timbers U23s.

Last week’s game against Washington Crossfire was considered almost a must-win for the Kitsap Pumas after the team opened the Premier Development League season with two losses to Victoria and Vancouver.
Kitsap beat Crossfire 1-0 to earn three points and the Pumas find themselves tied for third place in the Northwest Division behind Victoria (3-0) and Portland (3-0).
Hosting the Pumas on Friday at Curtis Stadium at 7 p.m., the Sounders FC U23 could view the game as must-win. The team has already lost to Portland and Victoria and certainly doesn’t want to start the season 0-3.
The Sounders might be a tired group facing the Pumas having played four games since May 14. On Tuesday, the Sounders lost to the Charlotte Eagles of USL PRO in the second round of the U.S. Open Cup.

Before the season started, I wondered if playing the first games of the season on the road would come back to hurt the Pumas.

After two games, the team hasn’t persuaded me to change that opinion.

Coming off a 3-0 loss to Victoria, the Pumas made an improvement on the scoreboard Friday, losing to Vancouver 2-1. Kitsap led 1-0 in the first half before allowing goals in the 69th and 70th minutes in the second half. I’m told it’s only the second time the Pumas have lost after 1. scoring first, and 2. leading at halftime.

I’m not saying the results wouldn’t have been different had the Pumas played one or both of these games at home. But picking up zero points after two games isn’t good and Kitsap currently finds itself in last place in the Northwest Division (five teams have yet to play a game, so there’s that).

Dare I say Kitsap’s May 18 game at Washington Crossfire is …. must win at this point?

The Kitsap Pumas are taking part in the Rumble in the Rainforest Soccer Exhibition Extravaganza in Port Angeles on Apr. 27.
Games at Peninsula College’s home venue — Sigmar Field —will be played throughout the day.
St. Martin’s University takes on Peninsula College in a men’s game at 9 a.m., followed by St. Martin’s and Peninsula College women at 10:50 a.m.
Play continues with St. Martin’s men taking on the Pumas at 12:40 p.m. The Victoria Highlanders, one of the Pumas’ division foes in the Premier Development League, take on the University of Washington at 2 p.m.
The Pumas play the next two matches, facing Seattle University at 3:50 p.m., then Peninsula College at 5 p.m.
The final match of the day matches Seattle University against Victoria.
There will be a free car show and food vendors will be attending (no outside food/drink will be permitted).
Admission is $10 for fans 16 and older; $5 for youth ages 9-15; children eight or younger are free. A family of four or more pays $30 for admittance.

Kitsap Pumas owner Robin Waite confirmed Thursday that Gordon Field near the Fairground will be the Pumas’ home venue for the next three seasons.

Waite signed a three-year lease agreement with Kitsap County Parks and Recreation on Thursday.

Waite said upgrades to the field will include a scoreboard and press box. He is also in the process of getting the necessary permits to have a beer garden open during games.

Kitsap’s first home game is June 1 against Portland. The Pumas open the Premier Development League season with five road games.

Spoke with Kitsap Pumas owner Robin Waite and Kitsap County Parks and Recreation director Jim Dunwiddie on Wednesday. It sounds like a contract enabling the Pumas to use Gordon Field as their home venue is being reviewed and could be close to being approved.

Waite said a new press box and a new scoreboard are two things still being discussed. It sounds like the Pumas are going to be on the hook for the (hopefully mobile) press box, while the county would be responsible for the scoreboard (Dunwiddie said one of his staff met with a scoreboard company who’d be willing to pay for the scoreboard in exchange for having its name on it).

The county has already moved the fencing that bordered the far sideline in preparation for temporary seating (bleachers) to be transferred there.

The Pumas have three scrimmages scheduled for Gordon Field in April. The team opens with five road games before playing its first home game June 1.

Just got off the phone with Pumas coach James Ritchie, who’s been busy trying to put pieces together to form Kitsap’s 2013 Premier Development League squad. Kitsap has signed three players — defenders Alex Rodriguez and Ben Gardea and midfielder Neil Schaffer — and expects to have veterans Kyle Johnson, Zack Sampson and Dustyn Brim to return as well.

Among the players who won’t be returning are four-year starter Steve Mohn, a defender who’ll be playing for Northwest Division rival Sounders U23 this season. Mohn will join former Kitsap backliner Mark Lee, who played for Kitsap from 2009-11.

A familiar face who is returning is Andrew Chapman. The Peninsula Community College men’s soccer coach was an assistant with the Pumas from 2009-10 and will serve as Ritchie’s assistant this season. One of last year’s assistants Justin Stoddard won’t be back.

Kitsap Pumas indoor player/coach Dustyn Brim said tonight that the divisional playoff games in the Premier Arena Soccer League will be played Feb. 15 and 17. The top four teams at the end of the regular season advance to the playoffs.

Going into Saturday’s games, South Sound (5-0-1) is in first place with 16 points, while Kitsap (4-1-1) is in second place with 13 points. Snohomish and Wenatchee are both 3-2-0 and are tied for third place with nine points. Four other teams are tied with four points.

Kitsap travels to Tumwater on Saturday before wrapping up the season Feb. 2 against Snohomish.

The Kitsap Pumas host the Oregon Blacktails today in a Premier Arena Soccer League game at 7 p.m. at the Olympic Soccer & Sports Center.
Kitsap (3-1-1) is currently in second place in the PASL’s Northwest Division. The Pumas defeated Oregon 13-3 on the road last weekend. Pat Perkins scored four goals and added three assists in the game.