Eagles Eye Soccer Title -- Federal Way Players Want A State Crown

Donny Marshall and Ricci Greenwood couldn't lead Federal Way High School to a state championship in basketball last week.

They're determined not to settle for anything less in soccer this spring.

``This was good experience for us going into soccer,'' Marshall said, after the Eagles finished seventh in the basketball tourney. ``We're going to win a state title. We've got that in our minds.''

The Eagles hope to take the first step in that direction tonight as they open the South Puget Sound League season against Kentwood at 7:30 at French Field in Kent.

For the 6-foot-6 Marshall, who will play basketball next fall at the University of Connecticut, soccer is just a spring fling. He grew up playing club soccer, but didn't turn out for his high-school team until last spring. Then Marshall helped the undefeated Eagles win the SPSL championship. Visions of a state title vanished in an upset loss in the first round of the playoffs.

Greenwood, another well-rounded athlete, shines brightest in soccer and could draw a top scholarship. He is Federal Way's most skilled player, and one of the best in the state.

``Ricci's a great player,'' said Kim Duke, who coaches him on the Aviation West club team. ``He's got the most natural ability of any athlete I've ever been around. He can do anything, head a soccer ball, run a 90-yard sprint and catch a football, or go above the rim in basketball. But he loves soccer, absolutely loves it.''

Another reason for Federal Way's optimism is Jeff Murphy. Murphy, also a former club soccer player, decided not to play baseball this spring. Tim Duffy, Federal Way's new soccer coach, persuaded him to come out for soccer.

``I thought, `What a waste of talent to have him sit around and do nothing,' '' said Duffy, who had coached Murphy before. ``He hasn't played for four years, and you'd never know it. He just has to get one or two touches back, and he's ready to go.''

Duffy could be the other championship ingredient for Federal Way. Jefferson Coach Wade Webber thinks so.

``Federal Way has the most talent and a very good coach,'' he said. ``He can make them do great things. He's won at every level he's coached at, and I mean state championships. They have a ton of talent, and it's senior talent. Seniors win you championships.''

Duffy has heard the championship talk.

``The feeling in the area is we have a championship-contending team,'' he said. ``That can put a little bit of pressure on a team. I don't want to think that far ahead.

``But it's the atmosphere around Federal Way that if there's going to be a championship year, it's going to be this year. And it could be.''

The Eagles have another top-of-the-line player in senior Ricky Lively, who has moved from sweeper to center midfield. Other returning starters are seniors Chris Hamlett (goalkeeper), Jeff Newcombe (fullback) and Bryan McNeil (fullback); and juniors Steve Ono (sweeper) and Jason Baumbardt (stopper). Duffy said the team should get help from freshman midfielder Dave Maddock.

Duffy expects a strong challenge from district rival Jefferson, which finished second to Federal Way in the Puget Division last season and missed the state playoffs by one game.

Kentwood, which made the SPSL playoffs last year, and Auburn, which features standout Joey Mancuso, are the other possible contenders.

In the Sound Division, Decatur and Kentridge are expected to battle for the top spot, as they did last year. Both got into the state playoffs in 1990, and Kentridge, the division champ, advanced to the quarterfinals. Kent-Meridian is expected to be improved this season after a bottom-half finish last spring and could make a playoff push. Puyallup, third in the Sound a season ago, is considered the other team to watch.

PUGET DIVISION

-- AUBURN - Joey Mancuso's the main man for the Trojans, who have a new head coach in Bruce Diehl. But he should have a strong supporting cast as eight other starters return.

``I feel like we've got some real talent and some real potential,'' Diehl said. ``Last year was an incredibly young team with mostly sophomores. This team as a whole has a real future.''

Besides Mancuso, midfielder Deiter Bohrman is the only other returning senior starter. The returning junior starters are Jeremy Celver (midfield), Tim Klontz (fullback), Troy Nehring (goalkeeper), Tony Stevens (fullback), Janus Velasques (fullback), Matt Shields (forward) and Devin Proctor (forward). New to the lineup are junior Ryan Johnson (fullback) and sophomore Eric Brunner (midfield).

-- JEFFERSON - With a young team, Coach Wade Webber will rely heavily on four seniors - Brian Wallace (goalkeeper), Shawn Bowers (defender), Dave Zumwalt (midfield) and Darren Sawatzky (midfield).

Zumwalt is the top offensive player back after notching nine goals and seven assists last season. He was an all-SPSL second-team choice along with Bowers. Webber calls Wallace ``perhaps the premier goalkeeper in the state.

``A lot will hinge on those four players,'' Webber said. ``We've got a young team, but we've got a lot of talent in the young players.''

He said he expects strong performances from juniors Chad Howell (forward), Chuck Lamb (defender), Todd Fraser (midfield), Jeff Lettice (midfield) and Joel Haferbecker (midfield/forward).

-- KENTWOOD - Coach Darin Mott, an assistant in the program for the past two seasons, has seven returning starters - seniors Scott Hill (midfield), Don Pennington (defender), Cory Moore (defender) and Matt Cumins (midfield); juniors Cary Smith (goalkeeper) and Jamie Bloomstine (midfield); and sophomore Bryce Eckhart (forward).

Senior forward Jeremy Lince is another letterman who fits into the scheme this season, Mott said, along with freshman Phillip Peterson, another forward. Defensively, senior sweeper Chris Walt and junior stopper Craig Baker will be key.

SOUND DIVISION

-- DECATUR - After making the state playoffs with a young squad last season, the Gators are senior-dominated. Coach Rick Dennison lost only three players from the 1990 team.

``I would say early on (experience) is our strength,'' Dennison said. ``We've got a couple of real good players up front who will be our goal-scorers, and we've got a really solid defense.''

Forwards Dan Heidal and Tom Helmer will carry much of the offensive load along with Jamie Carter. Other returning senior starters are Eric Fulwiler (defender), Gary Wagner (defender), Mike McClain (defender) and Gil Geyman (goalkeeper). Juniors Casey Stahl, Jeff Kaiser and Ryan Capodanno round out the midfield.

-- KENT-MERIDIAN - The loss of all-league goalkeeper John Wales to baseball had the Royals scrambling early.

Senior Eric Swain, a forward on the team last season, has filled the position. He had a shutout in his half of play Wednesday, a 3-1 non-league victory over Evergreen.

Moving Swain has forced Coach Gunter Bohrmann to make other adjustments, too, ``but things are looking really good,'' he said.

Senior Charlie Crook, brother of Tacoma Star Bill Crook, will be K-M's playmaker. Other returning starters are seniors Matt English (fullback), Roger Johnson (stopper), Tye Baril (midfield) and Karl Manthey-Zorn (striker). Juniors Trevor Thomas (fullback), Jerry Charles (midfield) and Ron Perez (forward) also started last season.Sophomores Troy Thomas (midfield) and Chris Swain (forward) are back, too.

-- KENTRIDGE - The Chargers won last year's division title with hustle. Kentridge Coach Phil Rosengren said he hopes the Chargers can outhustle the rest of the division again. He picked Decatur as the team to beat, and the two early favorites square off today at 5:30 p.m. at Federal Way Stadium.

Four full-time starters return - senior Rick Cantu (defender), junior Jarrett Venable (defender), and sophomores Tim Leeman (goalkeeper) and Scott Song (defender). Senior forward Phil Rosengren, the coach's son, was in the lineup last season before a back injury sidelined him. Sophomore midfielder Chris Brawley also is back.

Other returning lettermen are defenders Mike Hecox and Brad Schmidt and midfielder Mark Nelson, all juniors. Forward Jason Wheatley, a senior transfer, also should help, Coach Rosengren said.