Central Valley has run away with the regular season Greater Spokane League title, but going into the final match day today, races are still very open. The top seed from the 3A is still up for grabs between Mt Spokane and North Central. Seeding from third to fifth in the 4A group will all be determined as well with the three sides separated by just two points.
Finishing as the top 3A seed is key for the team wanting to avoid Mid-Columbia Conference League Champion Kamiakin, which finished 14-0 down in the Tri-Cities. Mt Spokane (4-4) holds just a one point lead over North Central (3-5), which has a pair of shootout losses and a victory Wednesday against the Wildcats on its resume. Both have played well against 4A opponents so far this season with Mt Spokane 2-3 thus far and NC 1-3-1 (shootout loss), and face 4A opposition in their final matches. Mt Spokane will visit Lewis & Clark, which NC edged 1-0 in overtime, and North Central visits Ferris, which lost 3-2 in overtime against Mt Spokane.
Facing a motivated Mt Spokane side, the Tigers will be trying to avoid slipping further down the table from their spot at number three as Gonzaga Prep sits one point back and University two. The Bullpups and Titans face one another at Gonzaga Prep in their finale.
Mead, meanwhile, is essentially locked into the second seed as they visit winless Rogers for their final game. Central Valley will likely finish unbeaten with a final game at Shadle Park.
Friday, October 20
Mt Spokane @ Lewis & Clark
North Central @ Ferris
University @ Gonzaga Prep
Central Valley @ Shadle Park
Mead @ Rogers
Recaps From Wednesday
Gonzaga Prep 2-3 Central Valley
In quite the thriller, the Bears opened the contest with a goal from Kaelyn Barnes in the 24th minute, but the Bullpups evened things back up just a minute later courtesy of Grace Batkoff. Olivia Lauffer put G-Prep in front three minutes before the break for a halftime lead. Central Valley, though, won the second half and the game with back-to-back goals from Megan Robertson and Kaylin LaBrosse in the 55th and 59th minutes.
Mt Spokane 0-2 North Central
The Wildcats had the better of the play for much of the first half, and the game continued in a scoreless stalemate thanks to North Central keeper Payton Flannery, who recorded her league-leading third shutout, into the late stages yet again. Mackenzie Letsch struck for the hosts with seven minutes left and with just over a minute remaining a penalty converted by Quincy McDeid locked up the result for NC.
University 1-3 Mead
The Titans grabbed the lead in the early stages with a 10th minute strike from Brooke Berg, but the Panthers rallied to lead at the break. Sarah Fram scored in the 27th and Gabbie Walters netted in the 37th. Tia Frahm scored just after the hour mark to lock up the results and all but mathematically ensure themselves as the second seed.
Ferris 5-1 Shadle Park
Though they were feisty against their 3A peers, the Highlanders struggled again against 4A opposition as the Saxons rolled to the win. Yacine Bitibale scored in the 15th and Leighton DeMille made it a two-goal halftime lead with a strike in the 31st. Ashlynn Picicci pulled the Highlanders back in it in the 50th, but a penalty in the 67th converted by Riley Hildebrand got the ball rolling again for the Saxons late. Katie Uphus scored in the 74th and Shantae Cutler capped things with a goal in the final minute.
Rogers 0-9 Lewis & Clark
The Tigers pounced for four in the first nine minutes as they rolled to the result. Kiki Bourekis finished with three goals and an assist. Paige Malm and Claire Mann tallied twice. Darby Rickel and McKenna Trogden scored the other two. Katelyn Kenney had two assists and Erin Carney posted the shutout.
Standings (click for larger view)
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