Ethan Bartlow is eager to begin his professional soccer initiation.
The south Snohomish County native was selected sixth overall by Houston Dynamo FC in last week’s MLS SuperDraft, and he says he’s ready for the challenge of stepping up from the collegiate level.
“I was just really excited,” Bartlow said about being drafted by Houston. “I think I was going to be excited wherever I ended up, but I think it’s a good situation for me and I can’t wait to get down there.”
Bartlow, who grew up in the Snohomish County portion of Woodinville and attended The Overlake School, comes from a family with deep Snohomish County soccer roots. His late father Phil was a member of Cascade High School’s 1987 state championship team and later went on to own and operate Soccer First Indoor Sports in Arlington.
The younger Bartlow went on to play as a central defender at the University of Washington, where as a sophomore in 2019 he was named the Pac-12 Defensive Player of the Year — the first Husky ever to win the award — and a second-team All-American. Now in his junior year at UW, Bartlow was offered a Generation Adidas contract, which is awarded to college underclassmen deemed ready for the professional ranks and makes an underclassman eligible for the SuperDraft. Bartlow was one of five Generation Adidas players in this year’s draft.
“I’d been talking with my agent and we decided that if that opportunity came (to sign a Generation Adidas contract), it was probably a good enough opportunity to want to leave school,” Bartlow said.
Bartlow is planning on leaving for Houston this weekend, with preparations for the 2021 MLS season scheduled to begin Feb. 22. He’s joining a Dynamo team that won the MLS Cup in 2006 and 2007, but hasn’t qualified for the playoffs since 2017.
“The team itself is kind of rebuilding a little bit, but they have a great history,” Bartlow said. “I’m looking forward to potentially helping them get back to where they belong.”
Evergreen Speedway season starting March 27
Evergreen Speedway’s 2021 season is scheduled to begin March 27.
The Monroe racetrack will feature its top class, Pro Late Models, during its NASCAR Season Opener, along with Mini Stocks, Outlaw Figure 8s, Hornets and Legends. Among its premier events, the Mark Galloway Shootout is scheduled for June 25, Summer Shootout is scheduled for July 23 and the Central Welding Supply 125 is scheduled for Sept. 18. The season’s final event is scheduled for Oct. 2. For the second straight year races will be televised the following weekend on CW11.
Last year Evergreen was able to complete a season, but without spectators. The track said via Twitter that it is “optimistic that we will be able to host (opening night) with fans in the stands.”
If you have an item for the community sports roundup, email Nick Patterson at npatterson@heraldnet.com.
Talk to us
> Give us your news tips.
> Send us a letter to the editor.
> More Herald contact information.
