Men's soccer scouting report

Evergreen State Geoducks

Coach: Tom Boatright (10-24-0, three seasons at Evergreen)

Last season: 8-20 (fourth in Cascade Conference)

This season: 2-2

Top players: D Luke Arthur, So., two goals, two assists, second-team All-CCC; GK Tom Kneeshaw, Jr., 107 saves; F Joe Gjertsen, Jr., on J.C. national champions at Yavapai J.C. 2001, transfer from Tacoma Community College, led NWAACC in goals and assists; F Chris Langford, Sr., leading scorer at Cascade College last year.

Outlook: The Geoducks, picked fourth in Cascade, are a legitimate contender for the conference title. Evergreen may possess the best forward combination in the conference. In the first four games, Joe Gjertsen has already scored 12 of Evergreen's 13 goals, including three consecutive hat tricks.

Northwest College

Coach: Gary McIntosh (first year at Northwest)

Last season: 4-8 (fifth in Cascade Collegiate Conference), 6-9 overall

This season: 0-2

Top players: M Tyson Hall, Sr., four goals, five assists; M Justin Petit, So., one goal

Outlook: The Eagles, picked to finish sixth in the CCC, have a new coach and a young team full of talent. NWC has a strong midfield and will try to build experience as well a few victories into their season.

Pacific Lutheran Lutes

Coach: John Yorke (7-11-1 in one season at PLU)

Last Season: 4-9-1 (sixth in Northwest Conference), 7-11-1 overall

This season: 2-1

Key Players: D Gabe Andrews, Sr., All-NWC; D Willy Devgun, So., four goals, three assists; D/M Kelly LeProwse, Jr., honorable mention All-NWC.

Outlook: A nucleus of 13 returning veterans along with eight freshmen and one transfer has the Lutes looking to improve on last season's sixth-place finish in the Northwest Conference.

Puget Sound Loggers

Coach: Reece Olney (78-51-11 in seven seasons at UPS)

Last season: 13-1 (first in NWC), 17-4 overall

This season: 2-1

Top players: M Mike Gallegos, Jr.; F Josh Hedrick, So.; M Justin Hughes, Sr.

Outlook: The Loggers have outscored their opponents 9-1 in their first three games. The Loggers return all but three players from a team that swept the NWC and advanced to the West Regional Championship last year.

Seattle Pacific Falcons

Coach: Cliff McCrath (456-167-73 in 33 seasons at SPU)

Last season: 2-2 (third in GNAC), 11-6-2 overall

This season: 0-4

Top players: MF Brent Egbert, Sr., five goals, five assists, first-team all-GNAC; MF Ross Vaillancourt, So., three goals; MF Jeremy Yerkes, Jr., nine goals and six assists, first-team all-GNAC; D Kye Taylor, So., transfer from Coastal Carolina and former Canadian youth international; F David Smith, Jr., 7-4-18, all-GNAC.

Outlook: The Falcons, having played the top three teams in the region on the road to begin the season, are off to their slowest start in 34 years, but face a more favorable schedule. SPU rebounded from a 2-4 start to make the playoffs in 2000.

Seattle University Redhawks

Coach: Peter Fewing (174-113-25 in 15 seasons at SU)

Last season: 3-1 (second in GNAC), 11-6-2 overall

This season: 1-0 GNAC, 2-2

Top players: D Jacob Besagno, Jr., five goals, two assists, second-team All-GNAC; F Alex Chursky, So., seven goals, five assists, first-team All-GNAC; F Ian Chursky, Sr., four goals in seven games played in 2001 but used medical redshirt last year; MF Pat Doran, So., nine goals, seven assists, four winning goals, first-team All-GNAC.

Outlook: The Redhawks' offense figures to be more potent than last year's unit that posted a league-best 3.05 goals per game. However, with the loss of star sweeper Justin Miller to a preseason injury, the Redhawks will have to make some adjustments defensively. Seattle proved it can challenge for a NCAA playoff berth by defeating No. 1 ranked and defending national champion Sonoma State 2-1 on Sonoma's home field last week.

Washington Huskies

Coach: Dean Wurzberger (142-57-22, in 12 years at UW)

Last season: 3-7 Pac-10 (fifth), 6-10-3 overall

This season: 2-0-1 overall

Top Players: MF C.J. Klaas, Jr., one goal, four assists, NSCAA All-Far West Region second-team, All-Pac-10 first-team; F Brett Wiesner, Jr., seven goals, one assist, All-Pac-10 second-team; D Seth Marsh, Sr., two goals, five assists, All-Pac-10 honorable mention; D Kevin Murray, So., three goals, two assists; F Sean Giudice, Sr., three goals, one assist.

Outlook: The Huskies look to rebound from an uncharacteristic losing season last year. Washington, picked to finish fourth in the Pac-10, returns 13 letterwinners and eight starters from 2003

Western Washington Vikings

Coach: Travis Connell (44-28-4 in four seasons at WWU)

Last season: 4-0 (first in GNAC), 15-4-1 overall

This season: 0-4-1

Top players: F Paul Nissley, Jr., GNAC Player of the Year, led GNAC with 15 goals and six assists; GK Ben Dragavon, So., led league with seven shutouts and 0.83 GAA, GNAC Freshman of the Year; D Jeremy Milsten, Jr., first-team GNAC all-star.

Outlook: The Vikings are the preseason pick to defend GNAC title. Face rugged schedule that has six opponents that have won NCAA II or NAIA national championships. Expected to have junior forward Cody Hagler back after missing 2001 with injury, but the 2001 GNAC Newcomer of the Year suffered an ankle injury in Western's season opener and is out indefinitely.

Whitman College Missionaries

Coach: Mike Washington (28-60-5 in four seasons at Whitman)

Last season: 4-8-2 (fifth in NWC), 8-9-2 overall

This season: 1-1

Top players: F Niels Larson, Sr., first-team All-NWC, second-team All-Region, nine goals and two assists; F Jeff Waggoner, Sr., first-team All-NWC, third-team All- Region, six goals and four assists; D Tyler Chisholm, Sr., second-team All-NWC; MF Vico Rust, Sr., honorable mention All-NWC.

Outlook: After having combined for 33 goals and 16 assists, Larson and Waggoner lead a group of seven seniors intent on moving Whitman up the NWC standings.

— Christopher Taylor, Seattle Times staff