Gonzaga Prep faces familiar foe

Repeating the title of an old song, “Something’s Got to Give” when Gonzaga Prep plays at Richland in the State 4A girls soccer quarterfinals today at 1 p.m.

It’s the same song, next verse for the Bullpups and Bombers, who are in their third postseason meeting in a year. The previous two have gone more than 3 hours of regulation and overtime without a score.

G-Prep (15-3) won a 1-0 shootout in last year’s quarterfinals. The Bombers (16-0) won in identical fashion two weeks ago for a regional championship.

“Last year we accidentally played 10-minute overtimes,” said Bullpups coach Alex Birrer, adding up 160 minutes of regular-game play and 30 more overtime minutes of scoreless futility. “Both teams have firepower and both have very good defenses. Something is going to have to give.”

Actually, being scoreless in soccer is a badge of honor. It means that both are superb teams. Both are strong in goal with G-Prep junior Elise Kuhar-Pitters and Richland’s Lyndsee Landon.

Both can attack, including Bullpups Sarah Dean and nominal defender Tara Cronin matching Justine Jones, and Ashley and Lindsay Roberts among a host of quick Bombers. Both teams are relatively young, though Richland starts five seniors.

G-Prep’s road back to the quarters has not been easy. On Tuesday, the Bullpups beat defending state champion Bellarmine Prep in Tacoma. Now they take on an unbeaten team ranked 12th in the nation.

“Bellarmine was just as fast as Richland,” said Birrer. “I thought they were better than last year. Maybe they aren’t as deep, but the offensive power up front was pretty significant.”

Playing a forward thinking team that controlled the ball for the lion’s share of the minutes, he said, provided good experience.

This will be the sixth straight arduous contest in succession, Birrer added, going back to the last couple of Greater Spokane League matches and district championship.

“It’s really kind of funny,” he said. “I feel like we’re playing the state tourney in reverse against the best two teams back to back.”

What will it take to reverse the regional loss to Richland? Birrer said he will move players to different positions to better match strengths and weaknesses. G-Prep must do a better job on defense of containing Richland’s attack.

“One thing we’ve learned is how dangerous their forwards are on the dribble,” he said.

One advantage is that his team has one road trip behind them. Coupled with the experience of last year’s state semifinals appearance, Birrer believes the Bullpups will play more relaxed because, as underdog, there is less pressure.

“I’ve been saying all year this is supposed to be a rebuilding year. It’s turning out to be a different animal all together,” Birrer said. “We’re a lot stronger than we were at the beginning of the season, different even than when we played Central Valley with two matches left in league. To be in the semifinals would be a dream. We’d love it.”

1A/B qualifiers

Jared Friedly scored a pair of second-half goals to lead Northwest Christian into the State 1A/B boys tournament with a 2-0 victory over Moses Lake Christian at Mead.

Karl Richardson earned the shutout with six saves for the Crusaders (10-5-1), who will face Riverside Christian in today’s state quarterfinal at Mead.

Riverside Christian defeated St. George’s 3-1 in the other qualifying match. Tim Annan scored in the 45th minute for the Dragons (10-8), who trailed 3-0 at halftime.