GSL boys soccer: Knights deny Panthers

That East Valley defeated Mead in a match between Greater Spokane League championship aspirants wasn’t a surprise. After all, the Knights are working toward their third straight title.

What was a surprise was the way they accomplished it, scoring three first-half goals and cruising to a 3-0 triumph Friday afternoon at Mead.

“Where did that half come from?” a surprised EV coach Jeff Rose wondered aloud following his halftime pep talk. “I was hoping to be within a goal either way.”

Instead, the Knights (8-1) had the Panthers (6-2) where they wanted them, forced to play from behind against an iron-clad defense that has shut out all but one league foe.

“Enough can’t be said about Josh Peck and Josh Polello,” said Rose of his returning All-GSL goalkeeper and sweeper who were joined by a defensive back line that blanked last year’s State 4A third-place finishers. “Having those two guys back there when you have a 3-0 lead at half is a pretty good feeling.”

But first the Knights used their heads to score twice in the first 20 minutes of the match. Matt Schneidmiller booted a ball across the field to Cole Abramson, who headed in the ball 10 minutes into the contest.

It was his third header goal the last two matches. This one wasn’t a screamer, but a lob up and over Panthers goalkeeper Zach Knechtges.

“The first 10 or 15 minutes of the game I was concerned because they controlled the game,” said Rose. “I don’t know how (Cole) scored it, but he did and that changed everything.”

Near the midpoint of the first half, Matt Miller benefited from another Abramson header during a scrum in front of the goal following a long Polello throw-in. Mead’s defense was caught out of position and the result was an easy backside score from the unmarked Miller.

Then just before halftime, Jeremy Jacobs beat a defender 1-on-1 and found an open net for the Knights’ final score.

“We just came out flat, that’s really what the difference was,” said Mead coach Matt Stueckle. “The first two goals East Valley scored was just poor defending on our part. Credit to EV, they punished us for the mistakes we made.”

EV’s defense did the rest. Peck had a big day, punching balls over the top of or away from the net, recording a sliding kick save and leaping to snag balls with hands held high like a textbook basketball rebounder and away from on-rushing Panthers.

“Peck has a knack for the ball,” said his coach.

The defensive back line proved nearly impenetrable, anticipating and blunting Mead’s attack.

“Because this game could determine the GSL title we were really up for it today,” said Polello. “It wasn’t really me. We have really good marking backs (Schneidmiller, Jordan Selland and Nick Johnson) and our defense is really picking it up this year.”

With a week remaining in GSL play, the victory assured Class 3A EV at least a share of its third league championship. Mead is at second-place University (7-2 and the lone victor over EV) Wednesday in an important match for 4A district seeding.

“The next game is our biggest game,” said Stueckle. “We have to play a little bit better.”

“The U-Hi Titans defeated winless North Central (0-8) 5-0 at home thanks to left defensive back Jared Flood, whose play dictated their offense. Billy McElroy scored twice, the first on a loose-ball volley from 20 yards out, the second on a cross from Christian Holloway. A win Wednesday would earn them the top 4A playoff spot. … Fourth-place Lewis and Clark (6-2) defeated host Central Valley (4-4) 2-1 in a shootout. Peter Dunau had scored at the 62nd minute to tie the contest and Tigers keeper Evan Gaul scored the winning penalty kick as the ninth player to shoot for the win. Stephen Grinalds had put CV ahead late in the first half. … Fifth-place Ferris (5-3) also won by shootout, 4-3 over Mt. Spokane (1-7), but needed a score off a corner kick by Trevor Crain on the final play of regulation to tie the match. The host Wildcats had dictated match tempo until then, but were outscored 4-2 in the shootout. … Matt Wakeley scored twice and assisted with corner kicks that produced the other two scores as Gonzaga Prep (4-4) blanked host Rogers (1-7) 4-0.