Mead’s girls will play for prime state position

Mead’s narrow victory over Ferris on Wednesday cleared up the Greater Spokane League postseason picture in girls soccer.

After splitting the GSL’s regular-season title with Ferris, the Panthers captured the District 8 4A tournament title with a 3-2 shootout victory against Ferris at Joe Albi Stadium. That win guaranteed Mead (13-1-2) a state tournament berth, and the Panthers will play at the Columbia Basin League’s No. 1 seed in the regional championship on Nov. 4 to determine the region’s top seed at state.

“It’s for the right to be in bracket spot 16 (in the state tournament), so you’re the bottom team in the bracket and considered the home team all the way through … and would play the first two rounds at home,” said Mead athletic director Dick Cullen, doubling as the GSL’s soccer coordinator.

The loser of the regional championship will fill bracket slot 14, “which isn’t bad either, because it’s a home bracket spot,” Cullen added.

In a loser-out matchup, Ferris (12-4) will play Shadle Park (8-5) in the district consolation final at Albi at 6 p.m. Tuesday. The winner will earn the GSL’s No. 2 seed at regionals and host the CBL No. 2 at Albi on Nov. 4 at a time yet to be determined, Cullen said.

The winner of that game will take bracket spot 15, Cullen said, and play a regional champion.