Nick Tasche defends his territory like a cunning wild animal.
Those who venture into his zone rarely emerge with a smile. Most often, they trudge away with no more than a massive dose of frustration and throbbing battle bruises, evoking a defeated beast retreating with its tail between its legs.
Elizabeth Armstrong / The Herald
Tasche, a junior goalkeeper on the Meadowdale High School boys soccer team, thrives on turning back hopeful visitors. In his first season as a full-time starter he has racked up 11 shutouts in 13 games for the Mavericks, who won the Class 3A state championship last season before jumping to the 4A level this season. Tasche, who didn’t allow a goal through the first five games of 2005, has Meadowdale (5-1-1 in the Western Conference South Division, 11-1-1 overall) headed toward another memorable playoff run as the regular season winds down.
While this season has been full of success and largely free of speed bumps, Tasche’s high school career has been anything but a smooth ride.
More than two years ago, on the eve of what was to have been his freshman tryout at Meadowdale, Tasche dislocated his left elbow during a training session with the University of Washington men’s goalkeeper coach. The injury, which occurred when Tasche dove and planted his left arm for stability, basically wiped out the young player’s entire freshman season. According to Meadowdale coach Darrell Hamilton, Tasche would have been a varsity starter.
The injury shook Tasche’s body and spirit. “I was looking forward to it a lot,” he said of the chance to start as a freshman, “so it was depressing,”
With his injured arm immobilized by a protective metal brace, Tasche watched from the sideline as Meadowdale soared to the Class 3A state tournament. It took him about 10 weeks to recover, but even when Tasche was cleared to play he was too rusty to help much. The Mavs went on to place third in the state, partially propelled by replacement keeper Eric Marty, a forward who slid into the goalie slot following Tasche’s injury.
Healed and ready to compete, Tasche played for the Emerald City FC select team that summer. But just as he worked his game back into shape, Tasche suffered another setback. During a Diadora Cup game in July 2003 in Redmond, Tasche re-injured his elbow, dislocating it a second time and fracturing the bone. He had surgery and spent more time away from the game that fueled him.
After splitting time with Marty last spring during Meadowdale’s 3A state championship run and excelling with Emerald City last summer, Tasche is making the most of his opportunity this season. “I’m fixed now,” Tasche said, laughing off his grim history of elbow damage. “Since high school started, I’ve just been coming back.”
Western Conference opponents struggled for two seasons to sneak shots past Marty, who graduated last spring. Now they’re stuck with Tasche, who stifles attacks with impressive athleticism and an aggressive, physical style.
“It is his time to shine,” Meadowdale’s Hamilton said. “He’s playing very well and obviously his defense is playing very well in front of him. He’s making one or two real quality saves per game.”
One of those quality saves came April 30 in a showdown against Mariner (6-2, 11-2-1) as Tasche held the Marauders scoreless for the first time this season during a 3-0 Meadowdale victory. In the second half Tasche made a lightning-quick, leaping save off of a Mariner free kick for one of his seven stops in the final 40 minutes. Efforts like that earn respect from Meadowdale seniors like defender Colin Kosco.
“This year (Tasche) is pretty much holding Marty’s end up pretty well,” said Kosco, a co-captain who will play for Seattle Pacific University.
Tasche, also an accomplished kicker on Meadowdale’s football team, praised his four defenders (Kosco, John Turk, Nick Hawkins and John Rouse) for reducing his workload. “They’re beasts,” Tasche said. “When you have such talented defenders protecting you, it’s easier to relax and trust them to keep the ball away.”
Asked about his athletic aspirations, Tasche, just a junior, said he has considered the Coast Guard, partly because they have a soccer team. But the sub-6-foot keeper is perfectly blunt about his lack of professional dreams.
“I’m a 5-9 goalie,” Tasche said. “I’m not going to the MLS.”
For now, Tasche is focused on helping Meadowdale win another state title – that, and working with his talented training partner. Freshman Neketa McDonald is next up in the recent lineage of stellar Meadowdale goalies.
“To tell you the truth,” Tasche said of McDonald, “he’s more technically sound than I am. The kid’s got an amazing amount of training. If you’re looking for one to watch, you’re probably going to be talking to him in the future.”
Sometimes when Meadowdale builds a healthy lead, Tasche yells to the sideline, offering to come out of the game to give the freshman prodigy some experience. Tasche does it because he has endured both sides of the equation.
Said Tasche, “I know what it feels like to be on the bench all day.”
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