Once again the South Whidbey High School soccer team proved it could compete with the best in the Cascade Conference, now it needs to prove can beat them.

The Falcons lost 1-0 at King’s Friday, April 13.

South Whidbey is 0-4 this spring against the league’s best teams, Archbishop Murphy (7-1, 7-2-2) and King’s (6-1-1, 8-1-2), and all four setbacks were close. Three matches were decided by one goal and one went into overtime.

The Falcons (3-4-1, 4-4-2) did tie the only other team above them in the standings, Cedarcrest (5-1-2, 6-3-3), earlier this season.

“We can’t seem to knock off these top teams,” South Whidbey coach Emerson Robbins said. “They probably deserved the win, but our guys played tough once again.”

The Knights scored the match’s only goal in the first 10 minutes off a header from a long throw in.

“Obviously a well-practiced set play,” Robbins said.

Other than that, the Falcon defense was “excellent,” according to Robbins.

“King’s mostly sends long balls, and we defended those very well all game,” Robbins said.

Defender Lake Smith, although sick, played “outstanding,” Robbins said, and Ari Rohan and Andrew Curtis excelled in stopping the Knights’ long-ball attack.

Robbins also lauded the play of freshman Thomas Simms, who holds his own against much bigger opponents, and keeper Julian Inches, who had several “great saves.”

“They outshot us by something like 8-4,” Robbins said. “We had a few chances late in the game when we pushed up more attackers with nothing to lose. However, it proved to be too little too late.”

Cedar Park Christian-Bothell (3-4, 5-5) visits South Whidbey at 6 p.m. Monday, April 16.