Upping the Bridges with championship gold: Ballard FC wins USL League Two Championship in second season
By Charles Hamaker
Tukwila, WA – 122 clubs began the USL League Two season back in May, with that number shrinking down to just two teams battling it out on Saturday, August 5th with the USL League Two championship on the line. Ballard FC, hosting at Starfire stadium since their home of Interbay was unavailable, on a magical run in just their second season as a club welcomed Lionsbridge FC for a clash of team heavyweights. With Ballard only in their second season and Lionsbridge only in their third, the champion of USL League Two was going to be a new kid on the block either way. The boys from Ballard, in dramatic fashion and after players from each side had been sent off with double yellows, bust through victorious thanks to a winner at the death. 3,416 fans filled the storied Starfire stadium, which has hosted it’s share of memorable matches and historic events, and Ballard FC added their own chapter to this venues history book.
Ballard FC raises the USL League Two championship trophy after defeating Lionsbridge FC in dramatic fashion (Photos by Sage Zipeto)
Stas starts the show
Ballard forward Stas Korzeniowski has been a showstopper in every match that he’s played in for the club, and tonight was no different. The Penn University junior has been a ferocious force for Ballard through their playoff run, so it was fitting that it was Stas who got the scoring started. The tall, fast attacker with a beautiful touch on the ball had his abilities on full display from the minute that this match started, including his match opening score in the 24th minute. A goal machine, Ballard’s leading scorer with 18goals across 14 games played, Korzeniowski was the one to break the door down after his side had put Lionsbridge on their heels with their attack from minute one. Ballard’s captain Lesia Thetsane sent a ball up the left side of the field in the direction of Korzeniowski, who was able to collect a header from Lionsbridge’s Davide Materazzi. Stas took the ball and spun to evade two defenders, finding some open space in the 18-yard box before catching goalkeeper Tyler Hogan in a tough spot by sending a semi-floater over his head and into the back of the net.
The forward’s performance in tonight’s title match was an impressive one, not only for his contribution to the score, but also what he ended up playing through. As the physicality of this match continued, Stas went up for a ball with Lionsbridge’s Adam Kirkwood, the two colliding and causing Korzeniowski to bleed from his head. Stas had to go to the sideline to be worked on by the Ballard trainers but returned to the match after getting a wrap put around his head and swapping it for a new jersey (#31) after his #45 had been bled on. Stas said after the game that he needed three staples to his head but is otherwise fine and was just happy to be celebrating the championship victory.
Ballard FC forward Stas Korzeniowski scored the first goal of the match and got sent off with two yellow cards, in addition to having a cut on his head, completing an eventful match (Photos by Sage Zipeto)
Lionsbridge equalizes late
While Ballard had controlled most of this match and their opponent was only playing with ten men, Lionsbridge wasn’t going to go away quietly in this one. The intensity level never wavered, and neither did the away sides relentless effort as they looked for that desperate equalizer even while being a man down. Even though Ballard FC continued to control the attack after the halftime whistle, Lionsbridge delivered a punch of their own in the 80th minute. Coleman Jennings sent a throw-in into Ballard’s 18-yard box, finding the elevated head of Sam Hall amongst several Ballard FC kits. Hall’s header wasn’t towards goal, rather finding teammate Josh Baker inside the box and uncovered for a shot that beat goalkeeper Sam Helleren far corner and brought us all level at a goal each with only ten minutes left in regulation. Several Lionsbridge players shushed that Bridgekeepers, Ballard FC’s support group, on their way back to their own bench to celebrate.
Ballard FC forward Peter Kingston was credited with the game winning goal in the 90+3 minute (Photo by Sage Zipeto)
You come at the King(ston), you best not miss
That equalizing goal may have come as a shock, as Ballard had dominated possession and the general attack in this match, but there wasn’t time to worry about how we’d gotten to this point. Lionsbridge had seemed to find a little life after their goal, getting a few near breakaways late as Ballard sent numbers up high in hopes of scoring off a corner. Despite the handful of near breakaway chances by Lionsbridge, Ballard remained in control of possession late and only needed one clean strike to take the lead and potential victory. Head referee Christopher Calderon signaled for three minutes of extra time, and this match needed only those three to give us a dramatic moment to seal the USL League Two season. Ballard captain Lesia Thetsane, playing up as more of a wing back on the left-hand side, had been fouled along the sideline parallel to the 18-yard box, setting up a set piece.
Ballard’s Peter kingston, a returning player from year one who recently made the transfer from Seattle University to the University of Washington, stood over the ball to take the kick as he had many a time during the regular season. Despite the mind games from Lionsbridge’s Josh Baker, who had scored the equalizer, Kingston remained focused on the task at hand with a golden opportunity to strike and end the season the right way. Perhaps it was only fitting that it was Peter who bookended the season, scoring the club’s first goal of the year in their preseason friendly against Vancouver Whitecaps II, and this magical moment. Kingston’s free kick curled perfectly into the box and over Tyler Hogan in goal, tucking itself neatly into the net. With their equalizer late and breakaways that provided plenty of danger, Lionsbridge had come at the King(ston) and missed. Peter and Ballard landed the final punch, putting a storybook ending on a magical second season to lift the hardware.
Physical affair
Considering that this was the title match, it makes a ton of sense that there was physicality and intensity galore between these two clubs. The first half of the match saw six different cards given out, including two to Lionsbridge defender Adam Kirkwood to knock the away side down to ten men. Shortly after, Lionsbridge’s head coach Chris Whalley was shown a yellow card for dissent during a first half that saw his club out chanced and kept on their heels by the Ballard FC pressure on the attack. You’d think, with Lionsbridge a player down and the Ballard attack having dominated throughout the course of the year on their way to this title match, that the home side was set to dominate and cruise to victory.
That wasn’t the case, but the physicality raged on and saw four cards in the second half to make ten in total being handed out during this year's USL League Two Championship. In the 84th minute, shortly after the Lionsbridge goal that equalized things, Stas Korezniowski saw his second yellow of the night to send the forward off in the critical moments of the match when his club needed a goal to regain their lead. This match ended in extra time, after two players had been sent off, with both clubs playing only with ten players on each side. A physical and intense fight between two of the youngest sides in USL League Two, that gave all 3,000+ inside of Starfire a show worthy of the price of admission.
Ballard FC celebrates winning the 2023 USL League Two Final (Photos by Sage Zipeto)
What’s next?
This title match concludes the USL League Two season, and the second ever full campaign for Ballard FC. Yes, Ballard has reached the mountaintop of USL League Two after just two seasons of play. The work won’t end here, as the club will undoubtedly see some turnover in terms of the players that make up the opening day roster next season and as some of them will likely get attention from clubs across different leagues. No matter who is wearing the beautiful Ballard FC kits that the club puts on, this club is set up to be must-watch entertainment for years to come if they continue to run things how they have been since day one. The hard work, love for the game, and professional approach to their USL League Two team has resulted in the ultimate reward: a championship.