Boys soccer: LC in spotlight as regionals begin

Will Lewis and Clark get a third chance at Central Valley?

That’s just one of the storylines as regional play begins Tuesday in boys soccer.

Twice the Tigers (14-3) have been pushed to the brink of elimination after one-goal losses to the Bears, in the regular season and at district. Twice they’ve bounced back.

Last weekend, they eliminated Mead 3-1 in 4A District play.

“The Mead game was tough, but we have a lot of seniors and they were determined to get to regionals,” LC coach Mica Lamb said.

Next up is Tuesday’s 6 p.m. loser-out regional match at Richland. Win that and the Tigers will advance to play Thursday at … CV.

If the Tigers lose again to CV, they’ll get one more shot at a state berth on Saturday.

Here’s a rundown on this week’s regional action:

4A: Ferris also hits the road this week, playing at Pasco on Thursday at 6 p.m. A win puts the Saxons (10-4) in the state playoffs, while a loss leaves them in a do-or-die match on Saturday.

CV has an even better situation: The Bears (13-2) get two chances – both at home – to reach state. “We’re playing with a lot of confidence right now,” said CV coach Andres Monrroy, whose squad played for the state title last year.

3A: M. Spokane and Rogers head to Kennewick on Tuesday for a doubleheader. In the 4 p.m. opener at Lampson Stadium, the Wildcats (5-9) play Kennewick in a loser-out match. The winner will take on the loser of the 6 p.m. nightcap between Rogers (7-9) and Kamiakin. The Rogers-Kamiakin winner will be the top seed at state.

2A: Great Northern League champion Pullman hosts East Valley for the distict title on Tuesday at 5 p.m. Both teams will advance to regionals. EV (12-4) is coming off a 3-1 win over Cheney on Saturday.

1A: District play continues with Tuesday’s semifinals, as Northeast A champ Colville hosts fourth-seeded Lakeside and No. 2 Newport hosts Medical Lake. The winners will qualify for state and play Thursday for the district title.