Knights May Have Their Day In Frontier Soccer
Since Jim Spencer became coach, East Valley has never been favored to win Frontier League soccer. Perhaps that’s not surprising since Spencer’s Knights have never won the league title.
But they’ve never failed to qualify for the state playoffs either. Which is why things have changed. League coaches predict that the Knights will win the league championship this year.
“We’re favored for the first time ever,” Spencer said. “I hope that won’t be our Achilles heel.”
While East Valley is the logical Frontier favorite West Valley coach Dirk Linton doesn’t concede the title.
“I think we’re going to win it,” Linton said. “The difference this year is this team is genuinely concentrating on soccer without last year’s distractions.”
Defending undefeated champion Cheney, Riverside and Pullman are also considered possible playoff teams.
Quickness will be EV trademark
This year’s Knight soccer players are small but the speediest in Spencer’s tenure as coach.
They are also the deepest and the turnout continues to grow.
“After cuts we still have over 60 players,” said Spencer. “We had 23 kids my first year.”
Spencer’s major concern is at keeper and on defense, where only one returning starter is back, senior fullback Russ Freund.
Returning starter junior Gabe Escobar moves into goal.
“He’s one of our real key players,” said Spencer. “Gabe can play anywhere on the field. He is a real soccer purist.”
First-team all-leaguers, senior Chris Skidmore and sophomore Randy Pratt and second-team senior Todd Hughes are at forward. The latter two have moved from fullback to add more offense.
Junior Tory Swenson, another second-team all-Frontier player, is at midfield.
Lettermen senior Matt Bly, juniors Tony Pass and Chad Misterek at midfield, Raymond Hansen and Shawn Cecil, at fullback will start.
Newcomers are juniors Gary Edwards and Joe Adamson at midfield, Sean Lamphere at fullback or midfield, and Chris Bowen at fullback or stopper.
Junior Chuck Van Note returns at forward after a year’s absence. Sophomore Pullman transfer Micah Cooper is a backup keeper. Freshman Jesse Conner plays fullback.
“He’s a real fast kid who can understand the attack from the back,” said Spencer.
Veteran Eagles focused on soccer
Last year, said Linton, West Valley had the talent but didn’t respond in big games. This year’s team, he asserts is different.
“All the players learned from that,” said Linton following a 3-1 non-league victory over Central Valley. “I’ve never had a team play as well as they did in an opener. The individuals we have like to play, concentrate and compete.”
Many of them have been around for three years.
One is first-team all-Frontier forward Lenny Petersen.
“He could be a league most valuable player candidate,” said Linton.
Others are seniors Shawn Noggle and Matt Wheeler at midfield and Mark Boyer in goal, juniors Quinn Sharpe up front, Scott Wacenske, Dan Buckles and Chadd MacKay at fullback, Dan Lorenson at stopper, Ben Brattebo and Nick Young at midfield or forward and Ryan Kuntz at goalkeeper.
Shane Downie, a junior, is back for his second year as a starting fullback.
New to the team are midfielder Jeremy Howe, a junior, sophomore fullback Brian Blood, freshman halfback Tony Wacenske and University High transfer striker Ryan Kirkingburg, if he passes the eligibility hearing.
, DataTimes