Ken Matthews will take over as head coach of the Hazen boys soccer team after Ritch Gouk resigned for personal reasons Wednesday.

“He’s been thinking about it for a long time and decided to pull the plug,” Matthews said. “It’s always been my goal to coach the boys and girls programs at the same school, so it worked out fine for me.”

Matthews has coached the girls team at Hazen for the past two years. He held a 20-minute meeting with the team Thursday, then played Seamount leader Kennedy Catholic to a 0-0 tie. The Highlanders lost to Kennedy 6-0 March 22.

Matthews has been watching the team all season and already knew many of the players.

“I’m visible around the school,” he said. “The guys and I have had a lot of discussions about soccer.”

Matthews also has one other secret weapon to connect with the team: Barcelona.

“The one common language all of the soccer players and I have in Barcelona,” he said.

FC Barcelona is one of the world’s most well-known soccer clubs. Matthews told the Highlanders they will play with the style of Barcelona, with lots of passing and lots of movement. Matthews said the players were excited about the new direction.

Hazen is now 4-1-2 in league play (4-3-2) and in second place in the league.

Ken Matthews as Hazen coach

Matthews took over the Highlanders girls team before the 2009 season. Since then the team has gone 20-12-4. Hazen’s year ended with a loss to Enumclaw in the sub-district playoffs last year.

Between jamboree and regular-season play, the Highlanders tied Seattle Prep (3A state champion), Kennedy (3A state quarterfinalist) and Eastside Catholic (3A state qualifier) last season.