As the 2026 season fades into memory, we look back on a campaign that had a number of remarkable highlights, historical firsts, and unforgettable matches. The team’s growth is clear, and fans across the Eastside were there for each incredible moment. We thank every one of you who packed the hill at Bellevue College, or followed along from home, for your part in a season worth remembering.
The year’s signature goal, at least according to an Instagram poll of fans, was Kavi Badh’s two-touch rocket into the upper corner off a perfectly placed feed from Dan McKay, the fourth of six goals in a rout of Bigfoot FC. You can revisit the on-field angle of the strike in the poll itself.
Or get Ethan Callahan’s call from the booth in this reel, which features a few of our favorite moments of Ethan’s commentary.
The same night as Kavi’s fan-favorite strike, forward Trey Mitchell delivered the first hat trick in club history, a milestone that headlined Midlakes’ most dominant offensive performance ever.
The season also saw two firsts against division rivals. Midlakes defeated both the Portland Bangers and West Seattle Junction FC. May they be the first of many to come.
Further, the club gave a real scare to a perennial contender. We made division-topping Ballard FC squirm for most of the match in what was one of the team’s most encouraging performances to date, even without the result to show for it.
Between the posts, Will Ficek turned in a standout campaign. He finished with 41 saves, the most of any keeper across all four divisions of the Western Conference. And he played behind a highly effective defense, headlined by Dylan Wojdyla, Harrison Shaw, Arjun Venkat, and team captain Miguel Regino. Midlakes scored fewer goals than both Tacoma and West Seattle, the two clubs directly below them in the final standings. But Ficek and the back line held opponents to significantly fewer goals against, a difference that ultimately secured the club’s fourth-place finish.
At home, Midlakes finished 4-2-1, the best home record in club history, and a new mark for the team to chase in 2027.
