GSL girls soccer teams in survival mode

It was a nice idea, but the new regional format hasn’t worked out too well for Greater Spokane League girls soccer.

GSL had the worst of it in action last week against the Mid-Columbia Conference, with all five of its remaining teams consigned to the loser’s bracket.

This year, Greater Spokane League 4A coaches agreed to spike the old district format in hopes that the new format will improve their chances at getting two teams to state.

“We just felt we were better than many of the MCC (Mid-Columbia Conference) teams,” said Mead coach Kevin Houston, who thought that the old regional schedule made it difficult to get two teams through.

The double-elimination format was another selling point. “I think it gives us a little bit of breathing room,” Houston said last week.

That was before his GSL champion Panthers fell to Chiawana in a shootout last weekend. Now Mead is out of breathing room; the Panthers face up to three loser-out matches, starting Tuesday at 6 p.m. at Albi Stadium against Richland.

Meanwhile, Central Valley fell 1-0 at Hanford, setting up a loser-out match against Gonzaga Prep at 5:30 p.m. at Spokane Falls Community College.

The Bullpups, a state semifinalist, last year, had already fallen into the loser’s bracket, but stayed alive with a 6-0 win over Walla Walla.

Tuesday’s winners will advance to another loser-out match on Thursday. The winner of that will play Saturday against Hanford or Chiawana for the final state berth.

The Mead-Richland match is the nightcap of an Albi doubleheader that starts at 4 p.m. with Mt. Spokane playing North Central in a loser-out 3A match.

The winner will play Kamiakin or Southridge on Friday for a state play-in berth.

In the 2A ranks, East Valley hosts Clarkston Tuesday at 6 p.m. for the district. Both teams will advance to glue-in matches against teams from the Central Washington Athletic Conference.