College Athlete of the Week

Not quite. A lot of times, the goalkeeper gets credit for shutouts, but to be honest, it’s the defense doing their job. I really haven’t faced that many shots because they’ve played well. Last game, I only had to save one shot. So it’s the whole team.

You only had to make one save?

The last two games, I’ve only had to make one save. One in each game. So I’ve had two saves in the last two games combined.

Do you ever get bored back there?

I’d like to say no. But it’s kind of hard to stay in games at times. You can go a whole game without getting any shots. I just try to keep my mind focused for the full 90.

When your mind begins to wander, what are you thinking about?

Usually, I have a song or two stuck in my head for the whole game, like they’re on repeat.

Were there any particular songs in your head during the Northwest Nazarene game on Saturday?

It’s kind of weird, but I watched ‘Aladdin’ the night before. So I had that song, ‘A Whole New World’ in my head.

The whole game?

Yeah.

Wow. I bet you never really want to hear that song again.

(Laughs) Not really.

So how long can you keep the shutout streak going?

I have full confidence that if we keep showing up and playing to the best of our ability, there’s no reason we can’t go the whole season without giving up another goal.

You really believe so?

We’ve got five games left. We’re kind of on a roll defensively. As long as we keep going like we have been, I don’t see why not.

Last weekend, the Sounders’ Kasey Keller was honored before his final home game of the MLS regular season. Has he had any impact on your career as a goalkeeper?

Oh, yeah. There are a lot of American goalkeepers that definitely caught my eye growing up. Kasey Keller was definitely one of them because he played for the national team and the Sounders, and because he’s big, being from this city. Another one, because I’m an SPU guy, is Marcus Hahnemann. I’d love to meet him. Hopefully, I can beat his shutout record and meet him. That would be great. And there’s also Tim Howard.

How close are you to the SPU shutout record?

The record is 13 in a season. If I go the rest of the season, I can tie the record. It’s a lofty ambition, I know, but it’s something I’ve got to shoot for.

Not to jinx you, but if you give up another goal, are you going to, like, quit school or something?

(Laughs) No. It’s just one of those things. With everything, goals happen. If I do give up another, I’ll just move on and look to the next shutout.

I can tell by your last name that you’re an intelligent man. So what’s your major?

(Laughs) I’m actually studying business.

What kind of business?

I’m thinking finance, but I haven’t figured out my emphasis yet. I’m taking more general courses right now, just to see what I want to take. I have no idea what I’ll be doing in the future, but if I get a chance to play (soccer), I’d like to. It would be a lot of work, and I’d have to meet the right people along the way and take advantages of any opportunities, but I would love to keep playing.

You played at Archbishop Murphy as a freshman in high school, then transferred to Snohomish High. What can you tell us about that decision?

I wasn’t the best student in middle school, so for my freshman year my parents thought I needed a little more structure. They told me if I got my grades up, I could basically earn my way back to Snohomish.

So what GPA did you get that year?

Just under a 3.5.

Wow. What did it take to get there?

My teachers really helped me out a lot. Also, I’m a very competitive person, so for me to do well in school, I kind of have to want to be better than everybody else. I know that sounds bad, but that’s just how I am. I learned what motivates me to do more.

How different were the two high schools?

It’s definitely different going from a public school to a private school. My freshman year, there were 150 people in my class, and by the end of the year I knew everyone’s name. Then three years later, when I was at (Snohomish High School) graduation, there were people getting their diplomas who I’d never seen before. So it was completely different.

So it’s safe to say it was a ‘whole new world’?

(Laughs) Yeah, yeah.

Sorry. I had to do that.

(Laughs)