Gsl, Frontier Take One Final Shot Graduating Players Square Off Before Spokane Shadow Match

Graduating high school soccer players step out of the Shadow and into the spotlight Sunday afternoon.

The best of the graduating players from the Frontier and Greater Spokane leagues meet prior to the Spokane Shadow’s USISL game with Everett.

The high school match is at 3 at Spokane Falls Community College. The Shadow play the Bigfoot at 5 p.m.

“I’m looking at it as a fun thing to honor the kids,” said Mead coach Dick Cullen, who is guiding the GSL team. “It will be somewhat competitive, but more fun.”

Mark Belstad, the Cheney and FL coach, said, “I think you’re going to find the kids are going to be very competitive. When they step on the field, most young people have one thing in mind: be competitive. For most, it will be the last game they play. You can’t rein in young kids.”

All nine GSL teams and all eight teams that play soccer in the Frontier League are represented.

Cullen has five players off his team that finished second in the State AAA playoffs last weekend, including his son, Rich, a goalkeeper. Belstad has three of his Blackhawks, who represented the FL in the State AA playoffs. They lost to eventual champion West Valley (Yakima).

“I think this is neat because it’s a community thing,” Cullen said. “It’s a preliminary, so it’s a promotion thing, but it’s a way to honor the best kids.”

Cullen is getting his team together for the first time a half-hour before the match. The FL guys have a short get-together today.

“I’m going to say, ‘Hey kids, have a good time. It’s senior day. Enjoy the moment, play hard,”’ Belstad said. “The coaches are innocent bystanders. What is fun for us is we battle with and against these kids all year long and they can see us in a different light. That’s great for the kids.

“I don’t see how it could not be a good deal for the kids. Hopefully, it will be a continual thing. “

The Shadow play at Yakima tonight before meeting Everett. Both foes are members of the Pro League Western Conference in the USISL.

Spokane is 5-1 in the Western Conference of the Premier Division and 6-2 overall. The Shadow beat Yakima 3-2 in an exhibition match. Everett handed Spokane its first loss of the season, 2-1, two weeks ago. The Bigfoot lead the Pro League’s Western Conference with a 7-2 record. Yakima is 2-3.

The Shadow play 14 of their 20 matches against premier teams. The matches against the pro teams are used to break ties for playoffs.

The Shadow won two matches last weekend, earning forward Jim Martinson and keeper John Nagel spots on the USISL Premier League team of the week. Nagel allowed Bellingham one goal and then stopped the Orcas three times as the Shadow won a shootout. Martinson scored twice, including the winner with 4 minutes left, in a 4-3 win over Jackson, Miss., the next day.

The premier team of the week names the best players from the 34 Premier League teams across the country.

, DataTimes MEMO: This sidebar appeared with the story: SOCCER ROSTERS Frontier League team GK - Patrick Luby, Cheney D - Joel Port, Pullman D - Todd Hughes, East Valley D - Dyland Duckworth, Cheney D - Russ Freund, East Valley D - Joel Harper, Pullman D - Mebo Fusada, Colville MF - Shaun Noggle, West Valley MF - Donovon Hodgson, Riverside/DP MF - Paul Barr, Clarkston MF - Jack Shamp, Cheney MF - Dan Huston, Medical Lake F - Ryan Kirkingburg, West Valley F - Chris Koesel, Riverside/Deer Park F - Chris Skidmore, East Valley F - Lenny Peterson, West Valley F - Seth McKay, Riverside/Deer Park Coach Mark Belstad, Cheney

Greater Spokane League team GK - Rich Cullen, Mead GK - Alex Deckon, Lewis and Clark D - Marc Lutpon, Mead D - Peter Raber, Shadle Park D - Joe Schwehr, Gonzaga Prep D - Mike Grant, Ferris D - Aaron Trainor, Mead D - Matt Stueckle, Lewis and Clark D - Josh Frey, University D - Tim Bishop, Gonzaga Prep MF - Ben Brodsky, Mead MF - Ryan Massey, University MF - James Barlos, Central Valley MF - Vilay Vue, Rogers F - Joe Ascolese, Gonzaga Prep F - Paul Johnson, North Central F - Colin Turnbull, North Central F - Ryan Vane, Shadle Park F - Ben Baxter, Mead Coach Dick Cullen, Mead