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

Speedy soccer scorer heads to WWU

Steve Christilaw steve.christilaw@gmail.com

The Western Washington University men’s soccer team came close to reaching the NCAA Division II tournament for the first time in program history this fall.

Close. Frustratingly close.

The Vikings went looking for the piece that was missing from this year’s squad and found him in East Valley graduate Adam Talley, who was named the Northwest Athletic Conference Athlete of the Year after leading North Idaho to the conference championship game and a 17-2-2 season.

“My coach (at NIC), Ken Thompson, told me that Western would be a good fit for me and I went there for a visit a couple weeks ago and loved it,” Talley said. “They think the piece they’re missing is a goal scorer.”

Talley is used to being the designated goal scorer on a soccer team. He’s been exactly that for just about every team he’s played on for as long as he can remember.

This past fall, Talley broke the North Idaho record for most goals in a season with 20. The old record, 18, was set by Garga Caserta in 2005. Talley also led the Cardinals in goals scored as a freshman, despite missing five games recovering from a concussion.

Before that he smashed scoring records in the Great Northern League.

It’s not difficult figuring out how he did it.

Standing still, there’s little about Adam Talley that could even remotely be considered imposing. At 5-foot-6 and about 150 pounds, what stands out most about him is his winning grin.

And then he starts to run.

Talley is almost always the quickest, fastest player on a soccer pitch – the kind of speed and quickness that leaves defenders wrong-footed and far behind. Add to that an ability to attack opposing defenses and you have the kind of weapon opponents stay awake nights trying to defend.

“The speed has just always been there for me,” said Talley, laughing. “You can’t really do anything to train for it. You just keep running.”

Whether it’s on a soccer pitch or on a football field, the jaw-dropping speed was there.

Talley’s 92-yard touchdown run against Cheney, where he left a defensive back clutching at empty air while he cut the opposite way and headed for the end zone, lives on the Internet as an example of just how fast, and how deceptive he can be while being fast.

There’s a definite air of confidence about Talley’s game – something most goal scorers share. Not on a Cristiano Renaldo scale, certainly, but definitely with that “I can beat you anytime I want” look that sends shivers down slow-footed defenders.

“You have to play with that kind of confidence,” he said. “But at the same time, I really don’t want to be known for being cocky, either. Well, maybe a little cocky, but certainly not arrogant.”

Talley’s two-year run at North Idaho has been exceptional.

Talley was named the West Region Most Valuable Player following the Cardinals 2-0 win over Peninsula to reach the NWAC semifinals, where they beat Edmonds Community College in the 99th minute, but fell to Highline the next day, 3-0.

NIC finished the season 17-2-2 and second in their first season back in the conference in a decade.

“I think what’s really helped me the most was playing for the Spokane Shadow,” Talley said. “I was playing against guys that were much older than me. Guys in their late 20s and even early 30s. They were all bigger and stronger, and I was able to hold my own.

“I’ve always played up, but that was different.”

Western Washington finished the season ranked No. 8 in the West Region at the NCAA Division II level, but behind Great Northwest Athletic Conference rivals like Simon Fraser (No. 6) going into the final weekend.

The Vikings season ended in a 2-0 loss to SFU in Burnaby, B.C.

The challenge for Talley at Western Washington is no different than it’s been at any other stop in his soccer career: be that blazing fast weapon that strikes fear in opposing defenses and strikes soccer balls into the back of the net.

“I’m excited to go there in the fall and do what I can to help the team,” he said. “I liked it over there when I visited. Bellingham is kind of rainy, but it’s always green and I liked that.”