Spokane Shadow to face Yakima United for Evergreen Premier League championship

It has been a bountiful season for the Spokane Shadow, who find themselves within reach of an Evergreen Premier League championship for the first time since 2015 .

Spokane’s title opportunity comes Saturday, when the Shadow play Yakima United at the SOZO Sports Complex in Yakima for the EPLWA title.

The matchup is the third this season and will decide the season series. Spokane lost 4-0 on June 4 at Yakima, but the Shadow responded with a 3-1 win at home on June 24. Both teams enters with 8-1 records.

“They’re used to having easy games, and we didn’t really give them one last time, so we’re hoping to make things difficult for them,” Shadow head coach Mike Pellicio said.

Pellicio said Yakima has been better than expected this season, but the league benefited from having talent spread around.

Yakima looks to manage play and dictate the rhythm of the game.

“When they’re firing on all cylinders, they’re really tough to prevent getting in on goal,” Pellicio said.

He said Yakima knows how to finish, meaning any shots on goal have a high probability of finding the back of the net.

“The challenge is preventing them from having those chances,” Pellicio said.

Stopping those chances comes at a price. When Spokane beat Yakima, the Shadow blocked shot after shot, which led to plenty of bumps and bruises.

“That’s something that I always praise in players because blocking shots, it hurts,” Pellicio said.

“You’re sticking your body into a 65-mph shot, and if you’re willing to do that for the team, you’re probably willing to do just about anything. I really do prioritize that.”

The Shadow hope their physical play and mindset work against United.

“(After physicality) it comes down to heart,” Pellicio said.

“We have a lot of heart. We have a lot of character. They do, too. So, it’s not like it eliminates their threat altogether. But making it a tough game, I think, is going to be how we’re going to make it a real contest and hope that our guys rise to the top. You want your players to decide the game.”

Ryan Fagerland, who graduated from Cheney High School this year, has battled his way onto the field and leads the Shadow in scoring. Pellicio said he didn’t expect Fagerland to join the team, but he fits the program’s profile and he has been a force in front of goal.

“He’s been one of our best players, and instead of just being one of the guys that was there working to get minutes, he’s been the first guys on my team sheet every game, so that’s been a really great surprise,” Pellicio said

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Prior to the season, Pellicio made clear in his preseason goals the importance of players’ confidence.

The Shadow have had a successful season on the field while also refreshing their off-the-field approach, he said.

“All of our targets have really been met in that we’re giving time to players, we’re being patient with them. They understand that they can make mistakes, and we’re OK with it,” Pellicio said. “There’s another chance around the corner, always.”

The players also had to buy in, Pellicio said.

“We put the whole group ahead of any individual. That was a target of ours and that’s gone really well,” Pellicio said.

“The players are really thoughtful in that sense. And they’re really respectful of each other.”

Saturday offers a chance for Spokane to etch its name in league history .