goalWA.net’s Premier Partnership with the Evergreen Premier League continues in 2016 as we report on the soccer revolution taking place right here in Washington.

The “EPLWA” is an elite adult premier league for players, coaches, and fans. They run the whole thing out of Bellingham and provide some of the best soccer you are going to see locally with 8 clubs that are taking hold in communities around the state.

The Evergreen Premier League has garnered 4th Division status in US Soccer. Since being founded in 2013 the EPLWA has inspired numerous other ‘state leagues’ to form around the USA.

The EPLWA season starts Sunday with four May Day matches. Below is the first in a series of previews on May 1st’s big kick off.

BELLINGHAM, WA— Civic Stadium in Bellingham will host the first kick off for the 2016 Evergreen Premier League season as the Hammers of BUFC welcome the Captials of Wenatchee FC in a Sunday May 1st “May Day” matinee at 3 PM.

BELLINGHAM UNITED v. WENATCHEE FC

Sunday May 1, 2016 – Civic Stadium – 3 PM – Ticket Info

Bellingham United will be feeling good coming off of a Western Indoor Soccer League championship win at the end of February. Most of those guys are now part of the outdoor squad that has been scoring plenty of goals in pre-season play. Last weekend BUFC took a narrow 1-0 win over their town’s college club as the Hammers edged the Western Washington Vikings 1-0 at Civic on a goal from Chris Jepson.

Wenatchee FC and BUFC share a similar pre-season opponent. Everett United traveled to Bellingham and lost 7-2. When Everett went to Wenatchee they fell to WFC 7-1.

Over their two year history the Capitals and Hammers have played four regular season matches. Wenatchee’s first-ever home opponent (2014) was Bellingham United. The Hammers spoiled it for the Green and Gold with a 5-2 win at the Apple Bowl. The return leg in Bellingham also went to the Hammers, 4-2.

LISTEN: BUFC Head Coach Lance Calloway talks on this podcast about the 2016 Hammers, around the 29-minute mark.

Last season the Capitals broke through in the series with a 3-1 victory at Wenatchee Valley CC. However, the Hammers reclaimed their superiority when the two met again at Civic. This time it was the widest margin of victory in the series as BUFC rolled, 6-2.

BUFC leads the all-time series 3-1-0, with an aggregate goals advantage of 16-9. The clubs will meet in the return match at the Apple Bowl in Wenatchee just three weeks from now on Sunday May 22 at 5 PM.

Jamie Richards will see his first action as WFC head coach.