EV alum steps in to coach Knights’ girls soccer

Gabe Escobar remembers what girls soccer was like back in the day. Back when he was an East Valley senior.

That was 1997.

“In those days we had a couple girls who played soccer year-around, and the rest of the team was made up of good athletes whose primary sport was basketball or softball and they turned out to have something to play,” he said. “A few of them understood the game, but the rest of them were picking it up as they went along.”

Move ahead a decade, and the team is much different, the first-year head coach said.

“This team is much different,” he said. “They all play club soccer. They all have great skills, they all have experience – and they have experience playing together.”

Escobar remained involved with soccer in the East Valley area after his graduation from high school. He coached club soccer – including many of the seniors on last year’s EV squad.

When last year’s coach, Andres Monrroy left to take over as head coach at Central Valley, Escobar stepped in.

“I look at my job as bringing some stability to the program,” he said. “I’m the third different coach they’ve had in three years. We’re working together, and I’m getting to know them just as much as they’re getting to know me. That’s important.”

With coaching changes affecting two of the Spokane Valley’s three Greater Spokane League teams, University’s Kevin Houston is beginning to feel different.

“I’ve only been here six years,” he laughed. “Now I’m beginning to feel like the old guy. I can still remember when I was the new kid on the block.”

Central Valley Bears

Monrroy, who works at Central Valley High School, will have only to walk out the front doors to get to practice, rather than commuting along Sullivan Road.

The Bears enter the season with a roster dominated by six seniors and six freshmean on the 18-player varsity.

Justine Bowman adds experience to the attack.

Seniors Kelly Troyer Amber Buckholz, and Christi Scholfield give the Bears leadership on defense, with senior Abbie Corigliano slated to swing between midfield and defense.

“We’re young, but I really hesitate to call this a rebuilding year,” Monrroy said. “I believe we will be able to compete right away. We have a good deal of experience with our seniors, especially with our goalkeeper, Mallory Flesher, back.

“With so many defenders with experience, we’ve been looking at doing a number of different things, and these players have been very willing to do whatever we ask them to do and play wherever we need them to play.”

The Bears will have four nonleague games to work out their rotation, starting Wednesday when they play host to Lake City.

East Valley Knights

Escobar inherited a team that has both well-honed skills and a well-earned work ethic.

“I’ve been really impressed with the skill and the drive these girls have,” he said. “We’re much farther long that I would have expected us to be.”

Two that have particularly impressed the first-year coach have been the Manchester sisters, senior Bryana and junior Morgan.

“I’ve known their family, and I remember their older sister,” he said. “They have such a strong competitive fire that it’s fun to watch. There’s something about siblings and the drive that goes with that. They love to compete and they get their teammates to do the same.”

All-GSL defender Kaylyn Plumb graduated, but sister Lexann Plumb returns along with juniors Sonni Tadlock and Christine Bliesner and sophomore Kennah Meyer to staff the defense.

“Right now, I think defense is our strength,” Ecobar said. “We’re going to be really tough. These girls are very patient and they are very good and taking advantage of opportunites that present themselves during a game.”

Junior forward Echo Abramson looks to do for the girls team what her brother, Cole, did for last year’s boy’s team – add scoring punch.

University Titans

The Titans are learning how to play blue-collar soccer.

“We’re working on playing in that fashion,” Houston said. “In the past we’ve had players that you could just kind of sit back and watch and rely on. We can’t do that now. We can’t rely on finesse this year; we have to be tough and physical. We’re going to have to work hard for what we get.”

Senior Abby Goss is a four-year starter and was a second team All-GSL midfielder a year ago.

“(Midfielders) Abby and Katy Sloyer are our captains and we’re going to need them to kind of help us keep everyone focused and not get too overwhelmed,” Houston said. “Mead is going to be the team to beat, but they can be beaten if we come out and work hard and challenge every ball. That’s where we need to keep everyone from getting too overhwelmed.”

Senior Haley Lightfoot will start at an outside midfield slot. Junior Allison Bertoni, a quiet, unassuming sophomore, has taken her game up and is playing with a competitive fire that excites her coach.

Seniors Libby Amsbaugh and Alicia Knowles will provide depth.

“For the first time this year, my bench is almost as strong as my starters,” Houston said. “That’s going to be a real strength for us. We can bring them in and they can give us a real boost.”

West Valley Eagles

The Eagles made school history in their first season at Class 2A, reaching the post season for the first time. West Valley advanced to the state quarterfinals by beating East Valley-Yakima in a dramatic shoot at home before bowing to Cheney, 4-0.

“There’s a buzz about the program,” coach Shelli Totten said. “The girls are proud of what they accomplished last year, and are excited about going even farther.

“They have their eyes on a different goal now. We have four seniors who are good leaders and a group of really good workhorses. We’re going to have success.”

The team is ahead of where it was at this time a year ago, Totten said.

“They have no interest at all in resting on what they accomplished last year,” she said. “We wouldn’t let them if they tried. We have more players who have played club soccer this year – some at the premier level; some just playing club. That’s important for this program. We haven’t had that before, and it really helps. The more you can play, the better.”

Sophomore DeeDee Garbe was a scoring machine a year ago, scoring 28 times and dishing off nine more assists for a team that scored a league-leading 81 goals.

Junior Kaley Way scored eight goals a year ago and returns to play in front of Garbe, who holds down the center midfield. All-Great Northern League player Kayla Courchaine returns, as does goalkeeper Karina Carpenter, who sparkled in her freshman season a year ago.

Back from last year’s squad are Jordyn Sordorff, Nicole Hamlin, Melissa Carey, Laura Estey and Lacey Nordby.

“We have one newby who will have an impact, Torrey Finn,” Totten said. “I’m not sure where I’m going to put her. She’s very versatile and a great athlete. The only thing I’m sure of is it’s not going to be keeper.”