Panthers District Champs Mead Settles Down For 3-0 Soccer Victory
Beauty is in the eye of the beholder and maybe Dick Cullen and his Mead Panthers expect much more.
However, the Panthers scored two beautiful goals and went on to a 3-0 victory over Ferris in the championship match of the Just A Kick/District 8 girls soccer tournament at Mead Wednesday afternoon.
“We started out kind of frantically but then we settled down,” Mead midfielder Katrina Morton said. “We just had the heart and desire. We wanted it really bad.”
What the Panthers got was a rematch of last year’s first-round game in the WIAA/U.S. Bank State AAA playoffs. Richland (8-2 against Big Nine foes) visits Mead (17-0) for a 1 p.m. match Saturday. Ferris (15-4) goes to Kennewick to face Big Nine champion Kamiakin (9-0) at the same time.
“I felt we were maybe just trying too hard; we were a little off in the first half,” Cullen said. “Nothing flowed, it wasn’t beautiful. The second half was great. The first half was a little mechanical, stop and go.”
Except for Morton’s goal at 35 minutes.
The junior took a pass from Stacy Clinesmith at the 18-yard line, faked and stepped around a Saxons defender before ripping a hard shot into the bottom lefthand corner of the goal.
“She gave me the inside,” Morton said of her 10th goal this season. “You have to make your look (at the goal) and just lock onto the ball.”
Morton’s goal worked so well the Panthers executed it again at 56 minutes. This time it was Kelly Leaf getting the ball when a Saxons defender failed to clear it and she crossed the ball to Clinesmith, who was in the middle at the 18-yard line, just where Morton was earlier. Clinesmith then stepped around the defender and beat keeper Ira Hardin the same place Morton did.
It was the 17th goal for last year’s league most valuable player and she added another in the 64th minute when her shot deflected off a Ferris defender.
The 3-0 win was deceptive because Hardin made several spectacular saves, including a dive to her left to stop a penalty kick by Stacey Drollinger.
But the Mead defense would have made one goal stand up, limiting Ferris to four shots while pounding 16 at Hardin.
“We went to two forwards and Mead had four defenders back,” Saxons coach John Gould said. “It’s hard to get the ball through when they’re double marked. Mead worked the ball and spread it out.”
Holly Vanwert made three saves for the Panthers and never had to leave her feet.
“We tried to mark their midfielders in particular,” Cullen said. “Their midfielders like to participate.”
Now the Saxons will have their hands full with Kamiakin, which beat Mead to make the final four last year.
The Braves are led by Meotis Erickson, the coach’s daughter who led the Big Nine in scoring with 18 goals in league play, 37 overall. Senior Erika Keatts leads the defense in front of freshman keeper Kelly Matheson, who had eight shutouts. Carmel Lampson, last year’s keeper, could be in goal. Lampson didn’t turn out for soccer until midway through the year and had three shutouts.
Mead 3, Ferris 0
First half - 1, Mead, Morton (Clinesmith) 35:00. Second half - 2, Mead, Clinesmith (Leaf) 56:00. 3, Mead, Clinesmith (Morton) 64:00.
Shots on goal - Ferris 4, Mead 16.
Saves - Ferris, Hardin 6; Mead, Vanwert 3.
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