Great experience

For Ben Funkhouser, soccer season doesn’t so much begin and end. It’s more a year-round commitment that allows for a few brief breaks.

Not that there aren’t impressive beginnings and heartbreaking endings within that round-the-calendar action.

Take this past week.

The East Valley junior midfielder made his debut with the Spokane Shadow, the Premier Development League team that features some of the finest college soccer players in the area. In just one game with the Shadow, Funkhouser played in front of more people than have seen him play thus far in his entire high school career – which still has a year to go.

But that career will now be on hold until next spring. The Knights suffered a 2-1 loss to West Valley-Yakima Tuesday at Central Valley in a loser-out, regional playoff game.

Kieran Barton, the first-year coach of the Shadow, hoped for that outcome however – and despite becoming a new father over the weekend, the curse on East Valley’s season rests firmly on his head.

“We have a bunch of kids playing high school soccer on the team,” Barton said after Spokane’s 4-3 loss Saturday to Cascade. “I told them all to go out, play well, don’t get hurt. And I told them I hoped they all lost their games so I wouldn’t have to worry about them.”

It’s not unusual for an area high school soccer player to be included on the Shadow’s roster. The team, dominated by some of the area’s top college players, allows players to participate in practices to acclimate to the faster, more physical game – honing their talent for future use.

This year, however, is different. The Shadow has half a dozen high school players on their roster – and all have seen action. Funkhouser, Joe Hatcher (Ferris), Ryan Matern (North Central), Avery Washington (Ferris), Kyle Wirtz (Shadle Park) and Jeff Srock (Mt. Spokane) all have seen considerable minutes in the team’s first three games. What’s more, Funkhouser, Hatcher, Matern and Wirtz all are juniors.

“We just decided to go for it and play these young players,” Barton said. “The thing is, we’re still competitive with these young guys in there. That means we’re going to be in great shape for the next couple years as these kids continue to contribute.”

For Funkhouser, it’s been a great experience.

“There’s a difference playing with the Shadow,” he said. “When I play for my school team, I’m expected to be a leader on the field. I’m expected to make things happen. That’s a lot of responsibility. I like it, but it’s a lot to shoulder.

“With the Shadow, I’m just another player trying to contribute anyway I can.”

Funkhouser is a player who finds ways to contribute on the field and in the locker room.

For the Knights this season, Funkhouser scored eight goals and was the designated kicker for corner and free kicks in the scoring zone.

“We’ve got a good corner kick,” Funkhouser said. “We have some guys who are very good at going after the ball, especially in front of the goal. They find a way to get a head on the ball.”

Playing with and against college players all summer will enhance Funkhouser’s game.

“The game with the Shadow is so much faster and so much more physical,” he said. “After I play with them and then go back to play school ball, the game is different. I see the game differently.”

Playing PDL soccer should allow coaches to see Funkhouser differently as well.

Playing along side Brett Hite, who plays for the University of Washington, and Scott Campbell, from Gonzaga, should help get Funkhouser noticed at two schools he’d like to play for.

“Hopefully I can get to a point where my name gets mentioned around those programs,” he said. “I want to go to college in Washington, and those are two good programs.”

So far, Funkhouser has earned notice from Barton – for not getting too excited.

“I never know what’s going through Ben’s mind,” Barton said. “I turned to him the other night and asked him if he was ready to go in and play. He said he was – he said he was excited about it.”

Barton laughed. “I told him to show it once in a while!”

“Oh man, I was really excited about playing that first time,” Funkhouser said. “And I was nervous at first. But once the whistle blows and the game starts, it’s all soccer.”