Forward thinking

Anyone can slap some paint down on a canvas, but it doesn’t make that person a painter.

Nailing two boards together doesn’t automatically qualify someone as a carpenter, either.

Pursuing that line of thought, any soccer player can kick a ball into the net. The art of goal scoring, however, embodies attributes possessed only by those blessed with both deft footwork and acute minds.

Gonzaga Prep’s Megan Lindsay has led the Greater Spokane League in goals scored the past two seasons. The senior forward’s presence at the forefront of the Bullpups’ fearsome offensive attack is a primary reason her team is among the favorites to win a GSL championship this season.

“A lot of that is a testament to her not being a selfish forward,” G-Prep coach Christian Birrer said. “She’s willing to make that pass hoping to get the ball back again. Sometimes a forward will try to take on everything themselves. Then the other team collapses on them, and they don’t get as many opportunities. She’s willing to work within the structure of the team and bring her teammates into play.”

Birrer said Lindsay, the school’s all-time leader in goals scored, has a rare ability to see openings where others do not.

“What she does is sees shots where a lot of people will pass on a shot,” Birrer said. “She sees it there and is willing to take surprise shots and a lot of times catches goalkeepers off guard. Sometimes you get players who wait for the perfect opportunity. She’s willing to take a shot that has a 40 percent chance of going in and takes that risk.”

The GSL isn’t short on star talent, though. Mt. Spokane’s Averi Hallman is another forward accurately labeled as a prolific scorer, but she also led the GSL in assists and powered the Wildcats to the State 3A quarterfinals in 2007. Mead defender Lauren Layton is a two-time all-league selection and complements her defensive abilities with an innate sense of ways to contribute on offense. It’s no surprise both of those players’ respective teams have ambitions of winning a league crown, too.

Lewis and Clark is in the mix with 10 returning starters from last year’s quality squad, including senior midfielder Kenzi Grow, a first-team All-GSL pick in 2007. Central Valley and University are two more from a deep, balanced league that deserve dark-horse consideration, much like Shadle Park enjoyed last year and punctuated with a postseason victory over G-Prep.

“I expect us to be good,” LC coach Casey Curtis said. “I don’t ever think there’s a time where one team will just walk through the league. (The title chase) went down to the last week last year. Then there were upsets in the district playoffs, which is always a possibility in our league. On paper, maybe we look pretty good. … Our mind-set is we hope to be that. But I’m certain we’re not the only team with hopes of being league champs.”