CV downs Mead in shootout
Prior to the start of their District 8 4A championship boys soccer match, regular-season Greater Spokane League co-winners Mead and Central Valley were each presented trophies.
For 90 minutes Friday evening at Joe Albi Stadium, neither team was willing to relinquish its share, so they left it up to chance.
The Bears (10-4) buried all four of their shootout opportunities for a 4-2 edge in penalty kicks for a 1-0 victory and State 4A tournament bid.
“We knew it was going to be a 50-50 game and whoever scored first was going to win it,” said CV’s first-year boys coach Andres Monrroy. “When we went to overtime and PK, we were confident enough that we could finish it.”
After Mead (11-2) missed its first kick of the shootout, Kody Franks drilled his attempt into the upper-left goal and early CV advantage. Sean Northington did the same and Jonathan Wrestrom converted hard right following another Mead miss. Co-captain Sam Busby finished it off to clinch the win.
“Only seniors took the shots,” said Monrroy of the penalty kicks they had practiced after losing a shootout this year to Lewis and Clark. “We said as a team it would never happen again.”
The match was one that Mead coach Matt Stueckle said was tough to lose because both teams played well.
Shot opportunities proved scarce, but Mead had the better of the attack in the first half. The second half intensified as both sides took turns with multipass runs, that defenders smothered.
Gonzaga University-bound Nick Piger of CV came out of goal for gutsy saves. One, with 3 minutes left, was a dangerous diving stop at the foot of Adrian Tarkington left of the goal.
“You’re supposed to do the routine things,” said Piger. “You get called on in the big games to make big plays and I’ve always been taught that’s when the team needs you.”
The teams finished scoreless through regulation and 10 minutes of overtime.
“Give it to CV,” said Stueckle. “All four of their guys buried their penalty kicks.”
Earlier at Albi, Ferris’ James Matern scored on a first-half penalty kick and again in the second half for a 2-0 win to eliminate University. The Saxons play Mead at 5 p.m. Tuesday for a regional berth and shot at state.
Regional 3A: The season ended for Mt. Spokane (4-7) and North Central (2-12) with road losses. The Wildcats lost 3-1 to Kamiakin as Gavin Richter scored twice to break a 1-1 tie. Logan Novak scored for Mt. Spokane. North Central lost 9-1 in Sunnyside.
Softball
Sam Skillingstad was perfect through four innings and finished with a no-hit, 15-strikeout effort in Shadle Park’s (19-0) 7-0 win at second-place North Central (15-4). The Highlanders scored five runs in the third inning as Danielle Lynn had a bases-loaded triple. NC’s Kelsie Vallies fanned 13. … University (15-4) beat Rogers (4-15) at home 10-1 to tie NC for second. Riki Schiermeister was 2 for 2 with a triple and scored three runs. Alyssa Hawley drove in three runs with two hits. … Central Valley (14-5) stayed within a game of the Titans, winning 15-1 over host Lewis and Clark (6-13) at Hart Field. Alexa Morales and Stefani Siddoway each had three hits and three RBIs. … Mead (13-6) outscored visiting Gonzaga Prep (5-14) 15-7. The Panthers had 18 hits as Rachel Yuen, Regin Gallagher and Bre Lookabill had three each.… East Valley (4-15) won 8-1 at Ferris (1-18). Sisters Morgan and Bryane Manchester were a combined 4 for 8.
Baseball
Sean McNaghten hit a two-run triple in the bottom of the seventh inning to lift Mead (16-4) over Ferris (14-6) 4-3 and secure second place in the GSL. It was redemption for the Panthers’ catcher, back in the lineup after sitting out a game following an ejection on Tuesday. … Elsewhere league champ University (18-2) beat host North Central (6-14) 6-3. Behind 3-0, the Titans scored three runs each in the sixth and seventh innings. Craig Keeton tied the game with a two-run homer and Michael Holmes singled in the winning runs in the seventh. … Fourth-place Central Valley (11-9) won 5-3 at East Valley (4-16). KC Mack was 2 for 4 and scored the decisive run in the fourth on Rusty Shellhorn‘s hit. EV’s Aaron Awbery doubled and homered. … Visiting Rogers (9-11) routed error-prone Gonzaga Prep (10-10) 20-0 as those teams secured the final District 8 4A playoff spots. Chris Kelly pitched a three hitter, was 3 for 4, scored three runs and drove in two. Chad Como homered and had four RBIs. … Lewis and Clark (6-14) finished well at home as Jimmy Reed pitched a complete-game 6-0 win over Shadle Park (7-13) at Hart Field. Stefon Altberg was 2 for 3 with an RBI triple.