Bellevue Athletic prepare for U.S Open Cup qualifying duel against Sharktopus FC

Written by Adam Race

“It’s the most important game in the history of this club at the moment.”

That is what Bellevue Athletic head coach Mike Mata had to say about his squad’s U.S. Open Cup second qualifying round match against Sharktopus FC, set to be played this Sunday, 10/12, at Jefferson Playfield.

“It’s our dream, it’s one of the biggest objectives we have,” said Mata, who has established a culture of winning over his 15-month tenure at the helm of the Eastside Boys. Mata’s Athletic have won back-to-back UPSL-Washington regular-season titles, as well as state and regional playoff titles in Spring and Fall of 2024. But the U.S Open Cup, the country’s oldest and most hallowed cup competition, has been a roadblock.

This will be the fourth time Bellevue has competed in the U.S Open Cup qualifying rounds. The club’s previous three cup runs have all ended in their first qualifying match, with each of the losses coming either by a single goal or a penalty shootout. 

Bellevue Athletic U.S Open Cup History

“The first three years we got knocked out in the first round, which still leaves a bitter taste when thinking about it,” said Assistant Coach Brian Burkholder. “I don’t think the mentality is different than any other game, but there’s certainly more at stake in regards to moving on and getting an opportunity to play pro-level teams. For a player to have an opportunity to showcase their skillset against pro players and coaches, for many that is a dream come true. And who knows where those opportunities might lead.”

Nobody knows the significance and challenge of the cup like Brian’s son, Scott Burkholder, the captain and all-time appearances leader in Bellevue Athletic history. “I treat every game like I’m playing in the UPSL national championship or US Open cup final, because winning those is the ultimate goal for me, and that won’t change this weekend,” said Scott. “As someone who has been with the club since day 1, a little over 3 years now, all the hard work, every night training, working through the rough patches, it leads to opportunities like this. Everyone on Bellevue Athletic knows we are capable and have the ability to make a run in this tournament. This is our chance to prove it, but more importantly, earn it on game day.”

Bellevue General Manager Anastacio Rivera has made sure the club has never missed an opportunity to qualify for the cup. “The US Open Cup and the pathway to the cup provided by qualifying is such an important part of American soccer. We have made a point of participating in qualifying every season of our existence because we want to support and promote a tournament that is available to boost any and all clubs,” said Rivera.

Rivera believes that the current squad, coming off of winning UPSL hardware in three consecutive seasons, could be the one to make a run. “The dream has always been to make it into the main tournament and showcase our boys. We’ve been extremely close, barely losing to the eventual qualifiers WAC last season. We hope that the experience under our belt and consistency in our staff and players will help us make a serious run this Fall.”

The 2026 U.S Open Cup Qualifying is made up of four total rounds, with 16 teams advancing to the first round proper. While 145 clubs nationwide have thrown their hat into the qualifying ring, only three Washington clubs have entered: Bellevue Athletic, Sharktopus FC, and Ballard FC.

Bellevue and Sharktopus have received first-round byes and now will face off in the second round. USL-2 giants Ballard FC have been granted a bye to the third round and will play the winner of Sunday’s match during the first weekend of November. 

Sharktopus, a familiar foe that Bellevue beat in the Fall 2024 UPSL-Washington playoff final, currently competes as a recreational adult team, but has proven a very tough opponent for Bellevue in the past. 

“What we know is that they are true veteran gamers,” said Rivera. “They know how to pick apart every mistake you give them, and the only way we will win is by playing a high-IQ brand of soccer and keeping the ball to make them run. Expect to see us do everything we can to score early and avoid an early goal against.”

Bellevue will look to its most experienced players to set the tone on Sunday, including star striker Jacen Stein. Stein scored and assisted in Bellevue’s 4-3 Open Cup loss against Washington Athletic Club last year, and comes into Sunday’s qualifier as the club’s 2nd all-time leading goalscorer. “Winning would mean everything for the club,” said Stein. “Being able to prove ourselves at the highest level is what we strive for; whether that’s UPSL or US Open Cup.” 

Stein knows the importance of the match not just to the club, but to the players trying to prove themselves against elite opposition. “We have talented players of all ages, so whether that’s proving a young guy can play at the collegiate level or that as a club we can compete with clubs higher up in the pyramid, this is what this journey is all about.”

The match will kick off at 6:30 PM on Sunday, 10/12, at Jefferson Soccer Field. Attendance will be free, and a live broadcast will be available to watch via Bellevue Athletic’s Veo page.