Boys soccer preview: NUMBERS GAME

If it comes down to simple numbers, the Central Valley Bears are the hands-down winners.

Turnout for the boys soccer season, which kicks off Friday and Saturday for most teams, is brisk for the 2007 season. But no one can match the numbers coach Brandon Deyarmin welcomed.

“We had 72 kids out,” he said. “For the first time, we actually have to look at cutting some kids. The freshman and sophomore numbers are incredible. That’s really good news for the future.”

Across the Spokane Valley, West Valley coach Dirk Linton, who returns as head coach after a seven-season hiatus, is concerned about the right kinds of numbers.

“Our numbers are up this year,” Linton said. “A couple years ago we didn’t even have enough for a junior varsity. One of the area’s I’m trying to concentrate some energy on is keeping club teams operating for some of our kids.

“What happens is we see kids playing club soccer up until they reach 13 or 14, but if they don’t go on and play on a select team, they drop out and don’t play any more until they get to high school. We’d like to see them continue to play, even if they aren’t picked for a district team.”

The truth is, coaches admit, if you don’t have a good deal of soccer experience, you’re going to be hard-pressed to make a high school team.

“That’s just it,” University coach Kevin Houston said. “You don’t play enough games on a high school team to get much experience.”

East Valley’s Jeff Rose, last year’s Greater Spokane League Coach of the Year, agreed.

“I tell kids they have to play 60 or 70 games a year just to keep up with players at Ferris and Mead and some of the other schools in the league,” he said.

Central Valley Bears

There are a lot of fresh faces around the soccer pitch this year.

“There’s a lot of excitement and enthusiasm with this bunch,” Deyarmin said.

The Bears graduated 10 seniors from last year’s team. This year’s squad will have just two seniors: forward Kevin Cameron and defender Chris Burdick, but only Cameron played varsity a year ago.

Juniors Nick Piger (goalkeeper), Sam Busby (defender), Stephen Grinalds and Andrew Keenen (midfielders) all have varsity experience, as does sophomore Brandon Stevens, the first freshman to make a CV varsity in several seasons.

This year Deyarmin has a pair of freshmen vying for playing time in the midfield: Matt Levins and Trevor Del Medico.

“They’re both challenging for a starting spot,” Deyarmin said.

East Valley Knights

First the bad news. The Knights graduated the Greater Spokane League’s offensive most valuable player in Ben Funkhouser.

Now for the good news: Senior forward Cole Abramson, who scored 18 goals a year ago, returns to lead the East Valley offensive while two-time All-GSL goalkeeper Josh Peck returns for his senior season. Also back for his senior season is second-team All-GSL defender Matt Miller, who serves as this year’s team captain.

“It’s always tough to lose a player like Ben,” Rose said. “You never replace a player like that. You just move on. We’re going to us a different formation this year and try to take advantage of some of our other strengths.”

In all, the Knights return nine starters from a year ago.

Sophomore Matt Eatock is a returning starter in the midfield and Josh Polello returns at center back.

“These guys know the rest of the league now,” Rose said. “They know what it’s going to take to get into the postseason.”

University Titans

“This year we’re going to be pretty much a senior-dominated team,” Houston said. “I have seven seniors back from last year and a lot of returning juniors. Pretty much my entire starting lineup are experience players.”

Seniors Aaron Anderberg, Bill McElroy and Christian Holloway anchor the midfield while the veteran defense is led by seniors Bryce Burchak, Trent Hemingway and Brad Maier.

Sophomore Michael Ramos has grown into a starting job in the midfield.

“He’s a real up-and-coming young player,” Houston said. “Last year he was just kind of undersized. This year he’s grown into the kind of player I figured he could be. He’s someone to watch.”

Junior Nate Smith and sophomore Evan Frobe, both forwards, play together on the Spokane Shadow development team.

The Titans play East Valley in a nonleague opener Friday.

West Valley Eagles

Linton never went too far from the West Valley soccer team. Over the 10 years since he stepped down as head coach he’s worked with the team’s Eagle goalkeepers and was coaxed back to coach the junior varsity a few years ago.

This year he returns to the helm, replacing former coach Matt Nelson.

Linton likes the idea of playing in the Great Northern League.

“The good thing about it is we’re playing schools our own size,” he said. “There’s a lot to be said for that.”

Senior Craig Nelson is a four-year starter at forward for the Eagles who also serves as the team’s back-up goalkeeper. Senior Ryan O’Neel returns to start at sweeper.

Junior Joe Buchanan returns to play an outside midfield spot and junior Frank Lentini returns to play fullback, where he will be joined by sophomore John Connor.