Results on Friday and Saturday around the NWAC East ensured that all of the seeding will be determined on the final day of the division on Wednesday.
A pair of scoreless draws Saturday in women's action played a key role. Walla Walla's 0-0 result at North Idaho allowed Spokane to move three clear of the Cardinals, the only team that can best the Bigfoot - when they host them - for the top spot having played them to 0-0 draw in their first meeting.
Walla Walla, sitting a point back of NIC and still looking for second, faces a tough Columbia Basin side on the final day looking to pick up a point as Yakima's draw was enough to keep their postseason hopes alive. If WWCC falls to CBC and YVC defeats visiting Wenatchee Valley it will force a rarely seen play-in game.
On the men's side Spokane's narrow 1-0 win over Columbia Basin in a defensive battle allowed them and Wenatchee Valley to leap past the Hawks, who slipped from second to fourth on the night. The Knights, though, are done and will need help from Walla Walla on the final day to keep CBC from getting a point as the Hawks hold the head-to-head tiebreaker for third in addition to still having hope at finishing second. Three points clear, the Warriors themselves need at least a point to keep Spokane, who holds their tiebreaker, from catching them in their finale at NIC.
WOMEN
Friday - Wenatchee Valley 1-1 Treasure Valley :: Yalina Vargas (Brewster, WA) put the Knights on the board 25 minutes into the match but despite having the significant advantage in shots settled for a draw. Elexus Nochebuena (Blackfoot, ID) did the honors for the Chukars, scoring in the opening minute of the second half. Hannah Simpson (Star, ID) kept them in the contest with six saves.
Friday - Yakima Valley 7-0 Blue Mountain :: Addie Doyle (Richland, WA) slotted a ball to Maddie Hoffman (Clarkston, WA) on a far post run 11 minutes into the game and Sessi Allott found Adriana Gonzalez seven minutes later on a similar goal. The Timberwolves managed to keep the Yaks at bay the rest of the half but the floodgates opened in the second half. Natalie Wright scored twice before Kirsten Stickney (Colville, WA) got on the board. Courtney Handlen (Pocatello, ID) closed out the scoring with a brace in the final five minutes. Ally Glebe did not need to make a save in the clean sheet.
Saturday - Yakima Valley 0-0 Treasure Valley :: The Yaks outshot the host Chukars 13-3 on the day, but a deciding goal just would not come and they had to settle for the draw. Hannah Simpson (Star, ID) made eight saves for Treasure Valley while Ally Glebe had two for YVC.
Saturday - Wenatchee Valley 2-0 Blue Mountain :: Lara Creighton put the Knights on the board 13 minutes into the contest, but despite dominating the contest WVC were unable to ensure the win until Kalea Bokma (Wenatchee, WA) netted in the 90th minute. Trisha Priest (Omak, WA) made five saves for the shutout.
Saturday - Walla Walla 0-0 North Idaho :: Both sides fighting for the shot at winning the division resulted in a stalemate that only left NIC standing. Kaysha Bailey (Lewiston, ID) made six saves for her clean sheet while Danielle Dowd (Rathdrum, ID) did not need to make a save for the Warriors.
Saturday - Columbia Basin 1-2 Spokane :: Natalie Cabiad (Spokane, WA) found Shannon Frucci (Spokane, WA) for the opening goal in the 34th minute of the contest to put Spokane in front and they got a quick goal in the second half that proved key. Back from injury, Sydney Clements (Spokane, WA) received the ball at the top of the box from Gaby Kennedy (Spokane, WA) and made a quick turn with the ball to fire a nice shot on goal for the winner as the Hawks found a bit of fortune late in the contest to strike up some drama at the finish. A lengthy shot forced a great leaping save from Micky Ramirez that put the ball off the crossbar, but the rebound fell down along the goal line and in the frenzy to keep the ball out and cleared, it was kicked by a defender into Ramirez and before she could palm it away the ball had crossed the line.
Notes: Bailey Johnson (Idaho Falls, ID) set up the opening goal in the second minute and scored the second in the 29th to lead Lane to a 2-0 win over Portland.
Standings
Spokane 9-1-3... 30
North Idaho 8-2-3... 27
Walla Walla 8-3-2... 26
Yakima Valley 7-4-2... 23
Columbia Basin 6-3-4... 22
Wenatchee Valley 3-7-3... 12
Treasure Valley 1-9-3... 6
Blue Mountain 0-13-0... 0
Remaining Schedule...
Wednesday, October 24
Blue Mountain @ Treasure Valley 12:00
Columbia Basin @ Walla Walla 1:00
Spokane @ North Idaho 1:00
Wenatchee Valley @ Yakima Valley 1:00
MEN
Friday - Wenatchee Valley 2-0 Treasure Valley :: Johan Espinoza (Wenatchee, WA) scored seven minutes into the first half and set up Greysen Gilman (Yakima, WA) eight minutes into the second to help lead the Knights to the win. Alexis Calderilla (Wenatchee, WA) made three saves for the shutout. The result moved the Knights within striking distance of a playoff spot.
Saturday - Wenatchee Valley 8-1 Blue Mountain :: The Knights jumped to a commanding lead early with Sanna Baldeh scoring in the 12th and Greysen Gilman (Yakima, WA) two minutes later. Luis Navarrete (Wenatchee, WA) tallied in the 38th and then nabbed a second a minute into the second half via Baldeh. Baldeh got a second two minutes later and Ebrima Sidibeh made it six in the 53rd before Javier Ramirez (Pendleton, OR) put the Timberwolves on the board via a penalty in the 55th. Johan Espinoza (Wenatchee, WA) and Omar Mendoza (Wenatchee, WA) rounded out the scoring.
Saturday - Walla Walla 4-0 North Idaho :: The Warriors put themselves on the cusp of clinching the division going into the final gameday with a dominant second half performance at North Idaho. Edwin Romero (Walla Walla, WA) gave them the lead four minutes in, but the visitors did not get full control of the outcome until the opening five minutes of the second half in which Miguel Rodriguez (Milton-Freewater, OR) tallied in the 48th and Lupe Barajas (Nampa, ID) two minutes later. Rodriguez capped the game with a second goal in the 58th and Alex Grimaldo (Caldwell, ID) finished with one save in the clean sheet.
Saturday - Columbia Basin 0-1 Spokane :: A defensive battle between the two sides, the Bigfoot came away with the win when Christian Bahena was fouled driving through the box and Nicholas Frost converted a penalty in the 76th minute of a contest that saw very few good opportunities on goal. Caleb Garbuio finished with three saves in the shutout.
Notes: Paul Cuevas (Yakima, WA) scored to cut the deficit to one for Skagit Valley, but they fell 4-1 to Peninsula... Colin Hauser (Boise, ID) made two saves for Edmonds in a scoreless draw against Shoreline.
Standings
Walla Walla 8-1-2...26 pts
Spokane 7-2-2... 23
Wenatchee Valley 7-4-1... 22
Columbia Basin 6-2-3... 21
North Idaho 4-6-1... 13
Treasure Valley 1-7-3... 6
Blue Mountain 0-11-0... 0
Remaining Schedule...
Wednesday, October 24
Blue Mountain @ Treasure Valley 2:15
Columbia Basin @ Walla Walla 3:15
Spokane @ North Idaho 3:15
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