WISL Season Kicks Off With Familiar Rivalries and New Beginnings

The first week of the Western Indoor Soccer League (WISL) season is here. Two familiar foes will kick things off in Tacoma on Nov. 1, while the rest of the league begins regular-season play on Nov. 8.

Everett City FC at Tacoma Stars Reserves – Saturday, Nov. 1, 7 p.m.

 In a rematch of last season’s semifinal, Everett City FC (Everett) will travel to the Tacoma Soccer Center to take on the Tacoma Stars Reserves (TSR) to open the year. In the 2024–25 semifinal, TSR edged Everett 4–3 to advance to the finals.

“We are excited to start the season against such a strong opponent. It’s always a battle when we play Everett, and we aren’t expecting this season to be any different. They’re a strong team, and we expect them to come out giving it their best, and we will match that energy,” said TSR Head Coach Skyler Roehr. He added, “This year's team is exciting because of the mix of veterans and newer players. The Reserves have always been a home for veterans who can teach and pass on the knowledge they have built to the next generation of indoor players. It’s always exciting to see how they develop throughout the season. We are going to bring passion, intensity, and a high work rate to our opener and expect to be very competitive, just like in seasons past.”

Everett will look to avenge the loss and start strong in what has proven to be one of the league’s toughest venues. TSR rode their home advantage to a first-place WISL finish last season.

Will the Stars Reserves start their campaign with another big home win, or will Everett roll in and play spoiler?

Bellingham United at South Sound FC – Saturday, Nov. 8, 7 p.m.

 Bellingham United (United) and South Sound FC (SSFC) will meet to open their seasons for the first time since last year’s semifinals, when United prevailed 6–4 before falling to Tacoma in the championship match.

For SSFC, it’s a new season in a new home. The club will make its regular-season debut in the brand-new Jarzynka Fieldhouse at the PenMet Recreation Complex. SSFC already played a preseason friendly there in front of a sellout crowd and hopes to use that energy to make their new home a fortress.

“We are excited to get started. The last couple of seasons, we have had really difficult starts, going away to South Sound and Tacoma straight off the back. They are a very experienced team that doesn’t rely too heavily on college players, which makes them really strong from the beginning of the season. They have a new facility home opener, so I know they will want to put on a good showing for their fans, and we are hoping to be the party crashers,” said Rich Henderson, United’s player-coach.

Henderson is familiar with SSFC and their style of play. “They have several veterans, so they will be well-versed in the basics of the game. We don't expect to get too many gifts and know they'll try to control the game and slow it down to their speed. We will have to be tactically spot on and adjust to the new playing environment quickly, adapting midgame to how we want to attack them. The size of the pitch, board height, and angles all play into more advanced strategies. That is the beauty and the curse of playing on the road. All the facilities are vastly different,” Henderson said.

Oly-Pen Force at Tacoma Stars Reserves – Saturday, Nov. 8, 7 p.m.

 The Oly-Pen Force (Force) open their season on the road in a cross-sound clash against the defending champions. Last season, the Force finished fifth with a 3–8 record and hope to climb back into playoff contention.

Force General Manager Micah McMonagle said he’s eager to get the season underway and return to winning form.

“Two years ago, the men made it to the semifinals, then took a step backward last year. We’re looking to get back into the top four this year and compete to the end of the season. The women improved massively last year, and we hope to continue building on that success to become a more competitive side all around,” McMonagle said.

He added that fans can expect plenty of energy and smart play in the opener. The Force will be coached collaboratively by McMonagle, TR Jewett, David Meherg, Jason Jarrett, Michael Nation, and Bryan Weathington.

Snohomish Sky at Vancouver Lightning – Saturday, Nov. 8, 7:30 p.m.

 In their third WISL season, the Vancouver Lightning will host the Snohomish Sky, who finished just ahead of them in sixth place last season.

“This season feels like a big step forward for the club,” said team president Peter Valdez. “We’ve built a solid core of returning players who understand our system and expectations, and we’ve added new talent that brings fresh energy and competition. I’m most looking forward to seeing how this group comes together — both on and off the field — to represent Vancouver and push for a deeper run in the league.”

Snohomish is also thrilled to get things going this season and are up for the task of a longer travel day and opening up on the road  to their first match

“We have a lot of new talent coming out this year and we are really excited for the season.  Each practice we are seeing this group of guys become more dedicated, focused, and willing to learn.   The growth has already started, and we’re excited to keep building chemistry and competing hard this year,” Said Sky Head Coach James Doherty