Boys soccer league outlooks
WesCo North
Favorite: Snohomish.
Contenders: Lake Stevens, Cascade, Monroe, Mount Vernon.
Players to watch: F Osric Flores, Cascade, Jr.; MF Stephen Tangen, Cascade, Jr.; MF Luke McMurray, Lake Stevens, Jr.; F Tristen Brenner, Marysville-Pilchuck, Sr.; GK Brian Gullikson, Monroe, Sr.; MF Joel Fagundes, Mount Vernon, Sr.; F Matt Curry, Mount Vernon, Jr.; F Grant Bull, Oak Harbor, Sr.; MF Kyle Rip, Oak Harbor, Sr.; F Cody Parker, Oak Harbor, Sr.; MF Justin Abel, Snohomish, Jr.; D Cameron Bailey, Snohomish, Sr.; MF Keegan Uderitz, Snohomish, Jr.; D Chad McGee, Snohomish, Jr.; F Seth Wilson, Snohomish, Jr.
Notable: Snohomish returns seven all-league players, and 13 play Premier-1 club soccer. Most league coaches consider the Panthers the favorites to win state. Lake Stevens, picked to finish as low as seventh by one coach in preseason, is tied with Snohomish for the conference lead and has two more wins (seven) than it had in the two previous seasons combined. The teams tied 1-1 in their only meeting. Lake Stevens' freshmen Wes VanHooser scored eight goals in first eight games. Cascade MF Damon Parot, first-team all-WesCo last year, is out for senior season with knee injury.
WesCo South
Favorite: Edmonds-Woodway.
Contenders: Meadowdale, Mariner, Shorecrest, Jackson, Shorewood.
Players to watch: GK Hawk Mummey, Edmonds-Woodway, Jr.; F Nikko Varlamos, Edmonds-Woodway, Sr.; MF Kevin Forrest, Edmonds-Woodway, Sr.; D Hector Rodriguez, Everett, Sr.; F Sam Hartman, Jackson, Sr.; F Sterling Flunder, Jackson, Jr.; F James Daniel, Lynnwood, Sr.; F Mike DeSimone, Mariner, So.; F Colin Hughes, Meadowdale, Sr.; F Lamar Anderson, Meadowdale, Jr.; MF Josh Swett, Meadowdale, Jr.; GK Danny Tappell, Mountlake Terrace, So.; D Kyle Halbert, Shorecrest, Sr.; D Nathan Friend, Shorewood, Sr.; D Drew Mack, Shorewood, Jr.;
Notable: "They have by far the best talent," one coach says of unbeaten Edmonds-Woodway. Several other teams will battle Warriors, including best 3A team (Meadowdale) and biggest surprise so far (Mariner). Coaches say league is improved from top to bottom. Watch for UW-bound Kevin Forrest of E-W and forward Mike DeSimone of Mariner.
SPSL North
Favorite: Kentridge.
Contenders: Kentwood, Tahoma, Auburn Riverside.
Players to watch: F Ely Allen, Kentridge, Sr.; MF Craig Buitrago, Kentridge, Sr.; MF Bryan Iotte, Auburn Riverside, Jr.; MF Joey West, Auburn Riverside, Sr.; MF Rhoman Goyenchea, Sumner, Sr.; F Chris Van Buskirk, Kentwood, Sr.; GK Noel Mendoza, Kent-Meridian, Sr.; F Sergey Fleyta, Kentwood, Sr.; MF Danilo Perdomo, Tahoma, So.; F/MF Ryan Kuffler, Enumclaw, Jr.; MF Cody Bylin, Auburn, Jr.; F Jake Adams, Kentlake, Jr.; F Onur Aktas, Sumner, Sr.; MF Eric Gracey, Tahoma, Jr.; D Ben Boyd, Enumclaw, Sr.; F/MF Efren Rivera, Kent-Meridian, Jr.; D Jeff Johnson, Kentlake, Sr.
Notable: Auburn Riverside's Robyn Saarenas is league's only female coach. She took over from David Winter, who moved. Saarenas, who played professionally in Japan, coached boys team at Liberty High in Colorado Springs to state title in 1996. Auburn Riverside and Kentwood were state semifinalists last year. Van Buskirk is a transfer from Tyee, where he was team's leading scorer and All-Seamount League King Division choice. Goyenchea has missed five matches with knee injury, but hopes to return tomorrow. Aktas, Sumner's leading scorer, is a German exchange student.
SPSL South
Favorites: Jefferson, Curtis.
Contenders: Decatur, Bethel.
Players to watch: F Chris Sanders, Jefferson, Sr.; D Kyle Colbath, Decatur, Sr.; MF John Reha, Curtis, Sr.; GK Kyle Bressler, Decatur, Jr.; F Nate Juvik, Curtis, Sr.; MF Brian Koo, Federal Way, Sr.; D Ryan Brown, Spanaway Lake, Sr.; MF/F Ryan Paul, Bethel, So.; MF Ricky Getchell, Jefferson, Jr.; MF/D Tony Ciocca, Emerald Ridge, Jr.; D D.J. Farris, Decatur, Sr.; GK Alex Feliciano, Curtis, Jr.; D Ken Nickel, Emerald Ridge, Sr.; MF Jim Thor, Puyallup, Jr.; MF Ryan Jennings, Rogers, Sr.; MF Devin Laughlin, Federal Way, Sr.; D Rob Hippensteal, Bethel, Sr.
Notable: Decatur, two-time defending state champion, won its opening game to extend unbeaten streak to 45, then lost to Jefferson — which beat Gators again last week. Jefferson and Curtis, which played to a scoreless draw a week ago, remain unbeaten. Reha has 14 goals in seven games. Feliciano has six straight shutouts since allowing a goal in Curtis' season opener against Bethel. Jerrod Fleury, Federal Way's new coach, is also women's coach at Pacific Lutheran University.
KingCo 4A
Favorite: Lake Washington.
Contenders: Eastlake, Inglemoor, Juanita.
Players to watch: MF Colin Adams, Juanita, Jr.; MF Jason Belvill, Inglemoor, Sr.; MF Derek Crismier, Lake Washington, Sr.; MF Josh Dodd, Garfield, Sr.; D Matt Fischer, Eastlake, Sr.; MF John Fishbaugher, Redmond, Jr.; F Jeff Hallenbeck, Inglemoor, Jr.; GK Casey Kane, Inglemoor, Jr.; MF Greg McKeever, Juanita, Jr.; MF Anthony Rigutto, Eastlake, Jr.; F Spencer Schomaker, Roosevelt, So.; MF Bobak Talebi, Lake Washington, Sr.; GK Jon Tanneson, Woodinville, Sr.; F Jira Cooley, Redmond, Jr.; MF Brian Pickard, Bothell, So.; GK Jesse Sutherland, Juanita, So.; F Riki Yoshinaga, Ballard, So.
Notable: Kangs (4-0-3) are defending conference champs and when healthy, have one of the best midfields around. Crismier (UW), reigning Gatorade state player of year, Fischer (UW) and Talebi (Portland) — who is expected back soon after missing most of season's first half with knee and ankle problems — will play NCAA Division I soccer next season. Eastlake (5-1-1) is off to a fast start. Inglemoor (4-0-3) might be conference's hottest team, with a three-game winning streak entering tonight's game at Eastlake.
KingCo 3A
Favorite: Newport.
Contenders: Sammamish, Skyline, Issaquah, Mercer Island.
Players to watch: D Keith Alger, Sammamish, Sr.; MF Pedro Batres, Newport, Sr.; MF/F Warren Creech, Skyline, Jr.; MF Chris Hodges, Interlake, Jr.; D Matt McGaffey, Newport, Sr.; D Brandon Napier, Skyline, Sr.; F Colin Rigby, Mercer Island, Sr.; MF Jacob Sabado, Issaquah, Sr.; MF Justin Sauvageau, Liberty, Sr.; MF Kohei Suwabe, Newport, Jr.; GK Nick Watson, Skyline, Jr.; D Eric Williams, Sammamish, Sr.; F Yosef Yetneberk, Mount Si, Jr.; MF Casey Ziemer, Newport, Sr.; MF/F Dan Barnes, Mount Si, Jr.; MF Justin Jones, Interlake, Sr.
Notable: Newport, coaches' favorite to win conference, has dominated in first half and is unbeaten (6-0-1), but so is Sammamish (6-0-1). Knights have outscored conference opponents 30-7, Totems have done it 24-5. Batres is reigning KingCo 3A MVP and already has 10 goals and 11 assists. Rigby will play next season at University of Denver. Mercer Island (4-3) has rebounded from slow start to win three in a row.
Metro League
Favorites: Bishop Blanchet, Nathan Hale.
Contenders: Seattle Prep, Eastside Catholic, Chief Sealth, West Seattle, O'Dea.
Players to watch: MF Andy Harrington, Bishop Blanchet, Sr.; F/D Jason Flamiatos, Bishop Blanchet, Sr.; D Kevin Scanlon, Bishop Blanchet, Sr.; GK Eric Smith, Bainbridge, Jr.; D Emmett Adam, Bainbridge, Sr.; MF Chris Powers, Eastside Catholic, Sr.; D Victor Nickinovich, Eastside Catholic, Sr.; D Joe Grijalva, Chief Sealth, Jr.; MF Eric Dinh, Chief Sealth, Sr.; CMF Nathan Leitner, Nathan Hale, Sr.; CMF Ed Abrams, Nathan Hale, Sr.; F John Currier, O'Dea, Jr.; F Ryan Melonson, O'Dea, Jr.; MF Kevin Fieser, O'Dea, Jr.; MF Josha Nathan, Lakeside, Jr.; F Angee Baldini, Lakeside, Jr.; MF Tim Christensen, Ingraham, Jr.; D Pat Bergman, Seattle Prep, Sr.; GK Arne Johnsen, Seattle Prep, Jr.; D Arturo Martinez, West Seattle, Sr.; MF Mike Morris, Bishop Blanchet, Sr.
Notable: With nine starters back and new coach in Chris Connors, Bishop Blanchet, 2002 regular-season Metro champion, is clear choice to win Mountain Division with league split into divisions for first time. Nathan Hale, which earned school's last state title 1985 in boys soccer, will be team to beat in Sound Division. Blanchet is off to 7-0 start, outscoring foes 28-5. Rainier Beach dropped its boys soccer program because of lack of interest. Nathan Hale has two top talents in Leitner and Abrams. Prep, which reached the state quarterfinals in 2002, returns four starters. Bob Buhrman moves from Blanchet to West Seattle coaching job after coaching Braves to 10-1-1 mark. .
Seamount King Division
Favorite: Mount Rainier.
Contenders: Highline, Kennedy, Evergreen.
Players to watch: MF Ryan Kerr, Highline, Sr.; MF Kevin Kerr, Highline, Sr.; MF Adam Loeffler, Evergreen, Sr.; MF Peter Redling, Kennedy, Sr.; GK Joey Faist, Mount Rainier, Sr.; MF Alex Kwaiatkowski, Lindbergh, So.; D David Halladin, Lindbergh Sr.; F Robbie Gouk, Hazen, Fr.; D Riley Miskell, Kennedy, Sr.; MF Guadulupe Cervantes, Evergreen, Sr.; F Pat McDonald, Highline, Sr.; F Nick Besagno, Kennedy, Fr.; F Scott Akers, Hazen, Sr.; D Chris Moore, Tyee, Sr.; F Dustin Epler, Mount Rainier, Jr.
Notable: The Kerrs are identical twins and Highline Coach Tim Crawley says he usually can tell them apart only by jersey number — and Ryan's orange soccer shoes. Lindbergh lost to eventual champion Sehome in first round of 3A state playoffs last year, while Kennedy fell to Squalicum, state runner-up. Mount Rainier reached quarterfinals before losing to Camas. Gouk is son of Hazen Coach Ritch Gouk, who takes over after five years as assistant.
Seamount Pierce Division
Favorites: White River, Lakes.
Contender: Fife.
Players to watch: F Matt Webb, White River, Jr.; MF Chad Bylin, White River, Sr.; F/MF Andrew Stolz, Lakes, So.; MF Kris Rice, Lakes, Sr.; F/MF Jason Aspelund, Fife, So.; D Dan Balabanis, Fife, Sr.; D Scott Houseman, Franklin Pierce, Sr.; F Jason Shaffer, Franklin Pierce, Sr.; F Eddie Fernandes, Peninsula, So.; D David Fisher, Peninsula, Fr.; MF Shawn Farrow, Clover Park, Jr.; D Noel Lucas, Clover Park, Jr.; MF Josh Strong, Franklin Pierce, Sr.
Notable: White River is division's lone unbeaten team after beating Lakes 3-2 last week. Webb leads team with 17 goals in 11 games. Four of Peninsula's five losses have been by one goal. Strong was all-league first-team player for Franklin Pierce as sophomore, then was hurt last season and was second-team choice. Houseman and Shaffer are two-time first-teamers. Aspelund has 14 goals in eight games for Fife.