HS Round-Up 11.10: NEA Off to Big Start Outside Districts

Saturday proved to be a big day for the Northeast A League as both Freeman and Lakeside advanced from their crossover matches with the Eagles raising eyebrows for their result away from home against the top-ranked team in the state. That success has carried into the state tournament, where Deer Park kicked things off with their biggest margin of victory on the year. 

The Lakeside ladies were not on their own in the upset department as Cheney came to Union Saturday and knocked off Mead 2-0 in the final district playoff contest, settling things as their league meeting went scoreless before a Panther shootout win.    

HS Round-Up 11.05: Mt Spokane, West Valley Claim District Titles

The Mt Spokane Wildcats are on a hot streak, and they just steamrolled over a University side that had not allowed a postseason goal to claim the 3A district title.  

Meanwhile, out in Spokane Valley there was a thriller at hand as Clarkston and West Valley met for a third time after a season split, looking to determine who would finish on top... only to see the match go to a penalty shootout to decide the lone 2A entry to the state tournament.  

Gonzaga Prep came up short at Richland in the 4A district final, but it was a rare defeat to an MCC opponent for the GSL this year as they have gone 7-2-3 with two wins and a loss among the drawn games that went to tiebreakers for a 9-3 mark. On Thursday Cheney and Mead both eliminated MCC oppenents from the playoffs to ensure a third GSL 3A entrant to state. Central Valley travels south to face Kamiakin for the third 4A berth.   

Hattenburg, James Lead Sides in Big Wins in Week 7 INWsn HS Best XI Lists

With a super tight race for the top 3A seed at stake in the final week of the season Cami Hattenburg helped lead the Mt Spokane Wildcats to a pair of wins that kept them atop their classification heading into the postseason. Meanwhile in 2A action Pullman played spoilers to Clarkston's hopes of challenging West Valley as Hannah James propelled the Greyhounds to an upset win over the Lady Bantams after suffering a 5-1 loss earlier in the season. 

 

HS Round-Up 11.03: Deer Park Survives Scare from Freeman to Win 1A District Title

Whilst Monday's 2A district playoff contests played out as expected the same could not be said of the doubleheader in Deer Park Tuesday. After Lakeside easily handled business in the opener, the crowd on hand was treated to a back-and-forth thriller between Freeman and Deer Park. 

Fresh off their upset win at Lakeside the previous week, the Scotties put a bit of fright into the Lady Stags on the chilly evening. A 2-1 lead midway through the first half marked the first time Deer Park had trailed in a league game all season and was the first time the Lady Stags, who gave up three tallies all season, had allowed more than one goal against an NEA opponent. 

They held that advantage until a frenzied 10 minutes in the second half in which the two sides exchanged four goals, but finished with the regular season champs ultimately prevailing against a Scotties side that - oh, by the way - was playing with their back-up keeper in goal. 

HS Round-Up 10.30: University Stuns Again With Another Scoreless Shootout Win

On Tuesday the University Titans shocked the top MCC 3A seed Southridge on the road with a shootout victory following a scoreless draw. The recipe seems to work well for them... as it was the same result Saturday against league foe Mead, earning an unexpected spot in the district final and a berth to state. 

It was one of three shootouts on the day. Ridgeline was eliminated from the postseason by Walla Walla after another scoreless stalemate, and after an exciting 1-1 affair versus Kamiakin the Gonzaga Prep Bullpups moved onto the 4A final, claiming a state berth. 

HS Round-Up 10.28: Freeman Stuns Lakeside; Shadle Wins at East Valley

Swept on the season by the other two NEA elites Deer Park and Lakeside by a combined tally of 13-3, it looked like Freeman would end up being in the third spot and taking the extra crossover game route to State. But as the saying goes, beating a team three times in a season is a tough task. Lakeside learned that the hard way in heartbreaking fashion as a 3-1 halftime lead proved not enough. 

HS Round-Up 10.26: GSL Nearly Sweeps Early Postseason Matchups Versus MCC

The positive results for the opening rounds of postseason play kicked off on Saturday with Lewis & Clark taking care of business against Hanford. Then on Tuesday, the Tigers were, however, the lone side to falter in five matchups between the two leagues, including a three-game sweep among the 3A contingent that has an all-GSL semifinal setup that guarantees at least two will be headed to state. 

And the night was full of drama as well. Central Valley posted a stunning two-goal rally to win 3-2 against Chiawana, Mead survived a tight 1-0 affair against Hermiston and University pulled off the upset of the night - according to seeding - with a shootout win against top MCC 3A seed Southridge after a scoreless contest.