Ferris Has All The Right Moves

GSL soccer

The Ferris High girls soccer team made a pact Friday: There would be no thinking about the homecoming dance.

The Saxons’ first order of business was Mead.

They kept the agreement and focused for all 80 minutes in their 2-0 Greater Spokane League upset of the Panthers in the rain at Ferris. Then they scurried off to get ready for the night’s big dance.

Ferris (5-6 overall, 4-1 GSL) had learned a lesson about looking too far ahead in a 3-1 loss to Shadle Park on Wednesday.

“With our Shadle game we looked past them and focused on Mead,” said senior defender Shannon Driscoll. “We weren’t prepared.”

Mead (8-2, 5-1) had only lost to defending state champion Richland this fall. The Panthers outshot Ferris 13-7 but couldn’t capitalize.

After the day’s matches, Ferris, idle Lewis and Clark, Central Valley and Mt. Spokane are all 4-1. In the league’s points system, Mead has 15, LC and CV 12, Mt. Spokane 11, and Ferris and Shadle Park 10.

Senior forward Kate Parks scored twice for Ferris. Her first goal came from close range off a pass from Sara Richardson at 36 minutes and the second was an unassisted goal at 74 minutes.

“I think we played well enough to win,” Panthers coach Travis Hanson said. “We had opportunities, but we didn’t cash in. Both their goals were not Ferris-created. They were our defensive mistakes.”

The Saxons played a near-perfect game on defense. Junior Megan Houck made her debut at sweeper and combined with Driscoll and Tessa Nelson to hold down the backfield and keep Mead freshman sensation Jael Hagerott in check.

And sophomore Gina Guyer had a superb game in goal. She saved seven shots, including three on free kicks by Mead’s Jennifer Sherwood.

“We were really focused before the game and wanted it really bad,” said Guyer, who was swarmed by her teammates after the game. “We were really disappointed and frustrated (after the loss to Shadle). We had to win this game.”

Hanson said his team came out tentatively in the first half.

“I guess it was we were just lacking heart a little bit,” said Mead senior Ashli Anderson.

Also in the league, Jennie Summers scored the winner on a pass from Jamie Danelo, and Central Valley (4-1) defeated visiting North Central 3-2 to join the jam in second place. NC’S Carly Clark scored twice, both times beating two CV defenders… . Elina Gee’s save during a 3-2 shootout allowed Mt. Spokane (4-1) to defeat visiting Shadle Park 2-1. Seneca Shank, Cassie Kitchen and Laurel Jones scored for Mt. Spokane during the shootout… . University outscored host Gonzaga Prep 5-3 in a shootout to claim a 3-2 win. U-Hi’s Jessica Henson and Prep’s Cassy Cooper both scored during regulation and the shootout… . Paula Soasch scored the first two goals during East Valley’s 6-0 win over visiting Rogers. EV is 3-2.