Mead Loses Finale, But Likes Future

4A soccer

For goalie Brian Beu and the rest of the Mead soccer class of 2001, next year will be about keeping the Panthers moving down the road that leads back to their proud past.

They traveled a long way in the right direction this spring. Though the Mead players were disappointed after losing to Eastlake 2-1 Saturday in the match for third and fourth place in the State 4A tournament at Kiggins Bowl, they know their season was a success.

Winner of 12 straight league titles less than a decade ago, the Panthers qualified for the state playoffs for the first time since placing second in 1996. In the past two weeks, they defeated defending state champion Pasco 3-2 in a shootout. Then they got by Greater Spokane League champion Ferris in the quarterfinals after having lost to the Saxons 5-0 for the District 8 title.

“It was a great year,” Beu said. “It was all about the seniors this year. They set us up and gave us something to shoot for. We want to try to be like these guys.”

He was talking about seniors Danny Dolan, Elliott Fauske, Matt Folsom and Ryan Mulvey. Folsom led the team in scoring with 12 goals, eight in the playoffs.

“This was a good way for the seniors to go out,” said Dolan, a defender. “And it was a good experience for the underclassmen to see some of the best teams in the state. I thought we should have won yesterday and we definitely should have won today, but the best team doesn’t always win.”

Mead lost to Port Angeles 4-2 in the semifinals after taking a quick 1-0 lead. The Panthers had the lead again Saturday.

Dolan made it 1-0 at 25 minutes when he headed the ball into the net off a Nick Stewart throw-in. Then Eastlake’s Ryan Nordvik answered with the tying goal on a header at 36 minutes.

Stuart Schoenfeld booted the game-winner at 41 minutes from 25 yards out for the Wolves, a team from Sammamish that finished the season 14-4-3.

Mead, which finished 15-6, tired in the second half and didn’t show the energy it has had in recent matches, said coach Travis Hanson.

Championship Snohomish defeated Port Angeles 1-0 in the final.