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Mead, LC head to regional

Erik Hansen of Mead, center, taps the ball past Central Valley goalkeeper Ryan Wurz for the game’s only goal as Bears defender Foster Newberg trails. (Jesse Tinsley / The Spokesman-Review)
By Mike Vlahovich mikev@spokesman.com(509) 927-2180
Erik Hansen of Mead, center, taps the ball past Central Valley goalkeeper Ryan Wurz for the game’s only goal as Bears defender Foster Newberg trails. (Jesse Tinsley / The Spokesman-Review)

It’s not necessarily where you finish, but how you finish when you’re Mead in Greater Spokane League boys soccer.

For the fourth straight year, the Panthers did not finish among the league’s top two teams, but are regional-bound following a 1-0 victory over Central Valley in the District 8 4A tourney semifinals Friday at Albi Stadium.

They’ll play regular-season champion Lewis and Clark for seeding at 7 p.m. Tuesday at Albi. The Tigers (11-2) ousted University (10-4) 1-0 in the second game of Friday’s Albi doubleheader, ending a first-half stalemate when Jack Gilles found a streaking Mckenzie Olivares for the winner.

“Something can be said about winning the league,” Mead coach Matt Stueckle said. “But last year and this year again, the top five were so close, I don’t think winning the league gives you much of an advantage.”

Erik Hansen was at the right place at the right time 19 minutes into the match, scoring on an open net for the only goal the victors needed.

Teammate Zach Hamer had beaten a defender inside and had a solid shot. CV keeper Ryan Wurz blocked it, but wound up on the ground in front of the post to his left. The ball trickled out to Hansen, and he punched it home.

“Zach had a good shot and I was in front of the goal and just lucky enough,” Hansen said. “After that we were just trying to keep position and not let them get into attack.”

As so often happens in soccer, much of the game was played on defense between the boxes and one sudden opportunity determined the outcome. The Panthers (9-3), third in league, move on, while the Bears (11-2), who finished second, are done.

“I would have been a little happier if we got another goal,” Stueckle said. “But I’ll take it. I’ll take 1-0.”

There were a number of mano-a-mano meetings as the teams contested for ball control. Scoring opportunities were thwarted. Shortly after the goal, CV’s Trevor Delmedico drew a yellow card during a collision with Mike Lewis, who had to leave the game with injured ribs.

His replacement was Tyler Martindale, who moved from outside defender to the center and drew accolades from Stueckle.

“I have to give him credit,” Stueckle said. “He’s not accustomed to playing there and I thought he was excellent.”

CV’s Robert Wulf beat the defense early in the match, but couldn’t get a shot as Mead keeper Zach Knechtges contested him. In the second half, Delmedico had three runs inside and Brandon Stevens another, but they tended to angle in too low on the side of the goal for a clean attempt.

But as the match progressed, Mead settled and was able to keep the ball on the ground and moving.

“Since I’ve been here, every time we’re in the playoffs we do it the hard way,” Stueckle said. “But if we do, we get more games and the guys like that.”

LC 1, U-Hi 0: Neither team could gain and advantage in the first half, but the Tigers opened things up after intermission and put shooting pressure on the Titans’ net. Keeper Cojo Smith made plenty of big plays to keep U-Hi in the game, but LC’s defense proved impenetrable, ending the Titans’ year.