GSL duo makes state

Ferris used a late goal to decide the first game, and Mead used an early one to set a proper tone in the second as both Greater Spokane League schools earned berths in the State 4A boys soccer tournament with wins in Saturday’s Columbia Basin Big Nine/GSL regional doubleheader at Albi Stadium.

Ferris (11-6-1), the No. 2 seed from the GSL, got a goal from junior midfielder Taylor Siok 73 minutes into the game to edge Walla Walla (14-5), the No. 3 seed from the CBBN, 1-0. Mead (14-2), the GSL’s regular-season co-champion and No. 1 seed, rode the wave of momentum generated by Derek Butz’s goal at the 2-minute mark to an easy 4-2 victory over the CBBN’s No. 4 seed, Wenatchee (12-7).

Mead’s win earned the Panthers a third consecutive trip to state and a chance to host Tuesday’s first-round matchup against Pasco at Albi Stadium. Pasco, the No. 2 seed out of the CBBN, ousted visiting Central Valley (12-3), the GSL’s No. 3 seed, 2-0.

Ferris, which last went to state in 2006, must travel to Yakima to take on Davis, the CBBN’s No. 1 seed and a 2-0 regional winner over Southridge.

Tuesday’s Mead-Pasco match has been tentatively set for 6 p.m., while the Ferris-Davis match is expected to start at either 4 or 5 p.m.

Ferris 1, Walla Walla 0

Persistence paid off for Siok, who had subbed in just prior to scoring the game’s only goal.

After taking a pass in the middle, the junior midfielder rifled a shot from just inside the box that deflected directly back to him. His second try was also blocked, but he got his rebound again and – on his third attempt – managed to sneak the ball past Walla Walla goalkeeper Andrew Glesser, who finished with nine saves.

“He was a little closer that last try, and he finally got it in,” Ferris coach Robin Crain said.

Still, it was the spectacular goaltending of the Saxons’ Nick Stebbins that set the stage for Siok’s late-game heroics.

Stebbins, a senior, finished with just seven saves. But most of those were highlight-reel types – including a couple that came late in the game as the Blue Devils frantically tried to answer Siok’s goal.

“Nick has some big-times saves for us today,” Crain said, “and several came right at the end, when we had to have them.

“Nick played a great game, but I thought the overall effort of both teams was outstanding, as well – especially in this heat. On a hot day like this, the turf here at Albi can get a lot hotter than the air temperature. ”

The teams played on even terms throughout much of the match, with the Blue Devils outshooting the Saxons 10-9.

“But I thought we started to dominate near the end of the game,” Crain said. “We had some decent chances and were right there knocking on the door, but we always seem to be one pass too late to score.”

Mead 4, Wenatchee 2

Butz headed his early goal into an empty net after Wenatchee goalkeeper Chris Feldman came out to pick off a throw in, but arrived too late.

The Panthers kept the pressure on from that point, rolling up a 3-0 lead before Wenatchee could push the ball past goalkeeper Curtis Hill.

“That was very important for us to get that early goal, because we were able to kind of settle down into a rhythm after that,” Mead coach Matt Stueckle said. “First, it sets the tempo, and on the other side, it lets us relax a little bit.

“Maybe, if you had nerves before the game, all of sudden you’re up a goal and feeling better about things, so that goal was big.”

Mead got its second goal from Ben Doggett in the 27th minute to carve out a 2-0 halftime lead. The Panthers took full control 2 minutes into the second half when Jay Jansen took a long crossing pass from Jordan Etten and beat a diving Feldman.

Wenatchee answered 90 seconds later with a goal by Kieren Parks, but the Mead stretched its lead to 4-1 when Corey Taisey beat Feldman off a rebound.

“When we gave up that goal when we were up 3-0, it was more about making sure we didn’t start panicking than anything else,” Stueckle said. “We were still up 3-1, so we needed to just relax and get back to playing the way we normally play, which we did.”

Pasco 2, Central Valley 0

Jovan Ramos and Martin Ramirez scored for Pasco, which dominated throughout and outshot the Bears 19-7.

CV goalkeeper Cameron Allen finished with eight saves.