Bullpups, Bombers face off

Greater Spokane League girls teams have gone head to head with the Richland Bombers in each of the last five State 4A soccer tournaments.

This year is no exception, although last year’s state third-place finishing Gonzaga Prep could get a double dose.

The Bombers and Bullpups meet tonight at Gonzaga Prep for the regional championship in what is essentially a “Kings-X” match. With only three state berths this year, the two have already qualified for state, which begins Saturday, and are playing for seeding only.

“It will be nice to win because it’s the regional championship for a trophy and another plaque on the wall,” said Gonzaga coach Christian Birrer. “It would be nice to say you’ve beaten a team ranked 12th in the nation.”

At the same time, he realizes they could meet again in less than two weeks in the more important state quarterfinals. And he sees a potential drawback to the regional playoff format.

“I worry that teams will look at who they meet in the next round and find it more advantageous to lose,” he said.

This year, the loser of tonight’s match will travel to the Tacoma area against the No. 2 team from Districts 3 and 4. Those districts qualify eight of the state’s 16 4A teams and had three of last year’s semifinalists.

Still, Birrer said, other than the travel, playing there can’t be more difficult than what the Bullpups will face beginning tonight.

“The Final Four from our region is better than the state tournament Final Four was last year,” said Birrer.

Richland won its fifth straight district championship last week. Gonzaga won its third in a row, defeating previously unbeaten University for the championship.

The Titans, who won Friday to continue, are seeking their fourth-straight state berth. They are in Kennewick against Kamiakin, which is after its third straight state appearance.

Beginning in 2000, at least one GSL team has faced Richland either in the first or second round of the state playoffs.

Mead, in 2000 and 2001, and Gonzaga, last year, beat the Bombers en route to top-four state finishes.

Richland beat University (twice), Mead and the Bullpups in 2002 and 2003 – seasons in which the Bombers placed third and first at state.

Unbeaten Richland is led by All-Big Nine defender Ashley Dernbach and Justine Jones, has three other all-league returnees and two solid goal keepers.

State third-place Gonzaga’s strengths are multi-fold as well, including eight returnees, leading scorers Sarah Dean and Tara Cronin – a top defender as well –, Caitlin Davis and goalkeeper Elise Kuhar-Pitters, among them.

Kamiakin returns standout forward Brittney Sparks, one of four all-league veterans. U-Hi scoring leader Tonya Schnibbe and Alex Marquard, like their team, are seeking their fourth state trips.

Winners of tonight’s matches open state play against each other.

3A: Regional competition continues today at Cheney with the Blackhawks and West Valley (Spokane) hoping to advance against either Hanford or Selah for a third berth at state.

“It would be nice to see one of them make it as well,” said East Valley coach Jeff Rose.

His Knights (9-8) beat Selah, last week 1-0 for their second straight state trip. They play West Valley (Yakima) Saturday for seeding.

EV lost to the Rams, who went on to finish second in state, last year on a goal in the final 10 seconds of their match.