Shadow building upon 2014 success

It was almost surreal what the Spokane Shadow soccer team accomplished last season. After a 9-year absence, coach Chad Brown and his players not only brought a league trophy back to Spokane, they also brought fans back into the stands. By the end of the inaugural Evergreen Premier League (EPLWA) season, the Shadow went unbeaten in their last 12 matches and took the championship and also led the EPLWA in attendance. The Shadow averaged 571 fans for the matches at Spokane Falls Community College Stadium, where attendees enjoyed pre-match tailgating, halftime candy chases, and post-match pitch invasions for player autographs. In short, they made it look easy. It wasn’t. And despite the return of several key players, “It’s just as tough this year, because there’s a lot of turnover,” said Brown. “Last year was last year. This year is a new season.” “The difference is, I have an idea of the core, but we’re thin on numbers,” said Brown, who like other EPLWA coaches must wait for some college players to return. On the plus side, that gives the current players a chance to make an impression, something Brown admits he didn’t grasp as a player. “I told them, ‘This is your time, make the most of your minutes now, and if you’re lucky enough to hold on to your spot, great,’” Brown said. Several players made an impression on Sunday, when the Shadow won 8-2 in their season opener at Wenatchee FC. Next up is the home opener against the Seattle Stars tonight at SFCC, the first of seven at home this season. The fans can expect to see quite a few locals on the turf. Returnees from last year include Matt Beaulaurier (Ferris), Matt Bray (Ferris and Whitworth), Sam Engle (Whitworth), Trevan Estrellado (Cheney), Dustin Ferger (East Valley and Gonzaga), Zach Hamer (Mead and Gonzaga), Graison Le (Coeur d’Alene and Gonzaga), Devin Leon (CC Spokane), Karl Muelheims (St. George’s amd Whitworth), Pete Peterson (Central Valley and Gonzaga), Joe Scott (Cheney), Colin Shockman (Mead and Whitworth), Adam Talley (East Valley and North Idaho), Ben Thompson (Lewis and Clark) and Micah Weller (Cheney). “These gys are getting along well, representing the club and Spokane with some pride, and coming together with one common goal,” Brown said. Highlighting the group is Hamer, a midfielder who finished his career with the Bulldogs as a Weast Coast Conference All-Conference honorable mention selection and played in the USL Premier Development League the past two summers for North Sound Seawolves and Portland Timbers U23s. Helping lead the defense will be former Shadow PDL goalkeeper Jeff Srock. The current CC Spokane goalkeeping coach helped lead Whitworth to a league title in his collegiate career that also included time with Gonzaga and CC Spokane, where he helped the Sasquatch reach the 2007 league final. Last year that defense gave up a league-low 11 goals while posting seven shutouts, but the Shadow must replace keeper Andrew Glaeser. On the other hand, the roster is so stocked with center backs that Brown says “They’ll have to fight for playing time.”