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The Spokesman-Review Newspaper
Spokane, Washington  Est. May 19, 1883

District Loss Ends Soccer Hopes

There’s always next year for nine of the 11 starters on University High’s girls soccer team.

Leah Brereton, one of three U-Hi seniors, doesn’t have that option. The fourth-year starter saw her season - and her high school career - end the way it has each season: with a GSL district playoff loss.

“It’s usually wait until next year,” said Brereton. “Not any more.”

The Titans lost to Gonzaga Prep her freshman year with a state berth on the line.

The last three seasons they’ve lost to the Saxons, twice in overtime, in games for state.

Included was Monday’s 2-1 setback. Last year U-Hi lost to the Saxons in a shootout.

“It’s disappointing, we’ve been so close,” said Brereton, an all-league prospect. “When are we going to get a break?”

The breaks didn’t happen Monday.

In order to beat the Saxons, said former Mead coach Dick Cullen, it has to happen early. U-Hi dominated but couldn’t finish and the Saxons got stronger as the game went on.

Ferris’s first goal, with 10 minutes left in the game, came after the ball ricocheted off the top of the goal and settled near the open net.

“It didn’t come back out,” said coach Brandon Deyarmin. “Anything can happen after that.”

The winner in overtime came off a corner kick when the ball got lost in a cluster of players.

“There were so many people you’ve got to guess which way it’s going to go,” said keeper Shoni Trickle, who admitted she couldn’t see the ball. “It took a bad bounce.”

Trickel, a sophomore, is one of 13 players returning, including five who will be four-year starters. The Titan junior varsity finished undefeated in league. A state berth must inevitably be in the cards.

“I know they can do it,” said Brereton. “One of these years they can.”

Brereton and fellow seniors Juliana Koehler and Liz Gay won’t have another opportunity.

No Bear market

Those hoping for a Bear market instead got a Bull(pup)ish outcome during last week’s Central Valley-Gonzaga Prep football game.

Tonight the Bears have a Tiger by the tail.

If CV expects to stay home for the first round of the State 4A football playoffs the Bears will have to beat Lewis and Clark. The winner of the CV-LC game ties for the league title; the loser finishes tied for third with Mead.

The Bullpups, Bears and Tigers currently share first place in the Greater Spokane League following Prep’s 24-14 win over CV.

“It will be the same kind of ball control game. LC has different threats,” said CV coach Rick Giampietri. “Both backs have breakaway speed and the quarterback throws on the run real well.”

CV trailed Gonzaga 21-7 just 16 minutes into the game, a victim of its own mistakes and inability to run the football. Prep’s Valley defenders Shane Harnett, Sean Thacker and Nick Bliss helped limit CV to 16 rushing yards.

The Bears rallied to within 21-14 by intermission, only to let the comeback opportunity slip away.

“Even as poorly as we played, if not for the second-half field goal we had a chance to sneak into overtime,” said Giampietri.

The defense couldn’t stop quarterback Kevin O’Connell, who rushed for 204 yards, two touchdowns and made big plays on time-consuming second-half drives.

He did so despite warrior-like efforts by cornerbacks Nate McFarlane and Zac Scott.

“He’s a powerful kid and broke tackles at the line of scrimmage,” said Giampietri, “Nate and Zac played great games, but you shouldn’t have to rely on your corners.”

The loss makes tonight’s game against LC critical if the Bears expect to share a league title and stay home for the playoffs.

“At this point our work is cut out for us,” said Giampietri. “That’s the way it should be if we’re truly a playoff team.”

The real Knights show up

East Valley’s 34-7 football thrashing of Clarkston on the road, just two weeks after a 28-27 loss to the same team, was indicative of the Knights’ potential.

Victory in its season-ending game Friday against West Valley would mean EV’s fourth-straight winning regular season.

The turnover plagued Eagles led 3-0 after a quarter before losing 28-9 to league champion Cheney.

, DataTimes ILLUSTRATION: Photo