LYNNWOOD – The day after his team won the Class 3A state boys soccer championship, Meadowdale goalkeeper Eric Marty’s eyes nearly popped out of his head.
As he read the May 30 Herald story about the Mavericks’ 3-2 come-from-behind victory, he was disappointed in what he believed to be sour grapes from Mount Rainier coach Dave Hanson.
Hanson, whose team led 2-0 with 15 minutes remaining in regulation, suggested after the game that Meadowdale used ineligible players in the title contest.
“They were 100 percent eligible,” Marty said. “The only guy that wasn’t eligible wasn’t there. To claim that we used ineligible players is just ridiculous and poor sportsmanship.”
Terri McMahan, the Edmonds School District athletic director, said approximately 10 Meadowdale students were suspended from “a variety of school activities” after an incident at a party involving alcohol the weekend of May 21-22.
A “full-scale” investigation involving school officials and the Edmonds Police Department revealed that one soccer player was at the party, McMahan said. That player did not make the trip to Camas, where the semifinal and championship soccer contests were played May 28-29.
McMahan had some strong words for Hanson, who after the game said, “If they allow kids on their team to drink and come and play in the finals next week, then that’s a shame. My hat goes off to them for a good victory, but I disagree with what their school district has done.”
McMahan said she believes Hanson owes Meadowdale an apology.
“To have a coach speak out like that without having knowledge was probably frustration relating to the outcome of the game,” McMahan said. “It’s certainly not something a respectable coach should or would pass on, in my opinion. … It just kind of puts a sour taste in people’s mouths surrounding a state championship. The kids on the field, we feel, complied with our athletic code.”
According to Marty, the investigation was accurate and there were no other players at the party.
“I’ve gone to school here for four years,” Marty said. “This administration – they think it’s great that we won a state championship, but they would never, ever sacrifice any sort of dignity or cut any rules to help the players out.”
Tough brake: Some things come easier to Class 4A state shot put champion Whitney Hooks than others.
Hooks, a Cascade sophomore who just recently earned her driver’s license, had a rougher road learning to drive than become the state’s premiere thrower.
Last summer while practicing driving, the then 15-year-old Hooks hit the gas pedal instead of the brake while parking her grandmother’s car in front of the Payless Shoe Source located at Evergreen and NE 91st St. in Everett.
The 2002 Ford Taurus ended up all the way inside the shoe store with broken glass and shoes everywhere. No one was hurt, aside from Hooks’ bruised ego.
“I don’t know how it happened,” Hooks said. “It all happened so quick. … I just looked at my grandma and said, ‘Oh my gosh, we’re in a store.”
Hooks, a powerful teenager who starts for the Cascade volleyball and basketball teams rarely does anything halfway. With arms and legs of steel, damage can occur before she’s able to apply the brakes.
“Freshman year I went up for a spike (during a Cascade volleyball match) and I hit this girl with the ball,” Hooks said. “Her nose just started bleeding. I just felt so bad. I’m not an angry person like that. When I hurt somebody I feel bad.
“A lot of people think I’m mean at school. They don’t like to approach me unless it’s my friend. I’m like, ‘Guys, I’m nice.’”
Hooks says things are going smoothly behind the wheel these days.
“I’ve got my license, and I’ve been driving everywhere,” Hooks said. “I’ve been taking my grandma’s car and I get my car in about two weeks.”
Out of nowhere: Who is this Aaron Roberts guy, anyway? Roberts, who spent most of his sophomore season on the Meadowdale junior varsity soccer team, surprised the Mavericks by becoming one of Meadowdale’s top players this season. His 15 goals – second only to Solly Gold’s 16 – helped Meadowdale win the Class 3A state championship this season. Roberts’ most important goal came in overtime of the title game. The 6-foot-3 junior forward’s goal with 10.9 seconds remaining in overtime gave the Mavericks a 3-2 victory.
“He barely lettered last year,” Mavericks coach Darrell Hamilton said. “All of sudden he comes to practice, and he’s the most improved player in one year I think I’ve ever coached. He just turned out be outstanding.”
One thing is for certain: Roberts almost always has his head in the game. Roberts scored many of his goals on headers and also helped Meadowdale defend against opponents’ corner kicks by knocking balls out of harm’s way.
“That guy is just unbelievable,” Marty said. “He’s 6-3, so that right there gives him a huge advantage. He’s unbelievably athletic and he wins balls in the air.”
Odd combination: Marty pulled off an unusual combination of playing quarterback for the football team and goalkeeper for the soccer team the last two years. Marty, who volunteered to be the team’s goalie when the starter suffered a broken arm early in the 2003 season, also contributed seven goals and six assists when he got a chance to play in the field.
“I really couldn’t give you a number, but I don’t think there have been too many (quarterback-keeper combos),” Marty said. “It’s a lot of fun. They are both leadership positions.”
Snohomish center midfielder Justin Abel displayed his dribbling skills with his hands in the winter as the Panthers’ starting point guard.
Weathering the storm: Everett track coach Doug Hall couldn’t help but laugh Friday as he stood under the stands at Pasco’s Edgar Brown Stadium along with lots of other spectators desperately trying to keep dry during a downpour that soaked Star Track XXII. Earlier in the day that featured sun, rain and hail, Hall poked fun at a fan who had pulled out his umbrella during some sprinkles.
“I said, ‘You must be from the east side (of the Cascade Mountains),’” Hall said. “I guess I can’t talk now.”
All-star baseball: The Wesco 4A/3A senior all-star baseball games will be played at 4 p.m. Thursday at Everett Memorial Stadium. Admission is free. Players will be nominated from the games for the all-state series to be held June 12-13 at Eastmont H.S. in East Wenatchee. Players from those games will be selected for the Washington-Oregon-Idaho series to be played June 19 at Vancouver.
The North all-stars include: Matt Fields, Matt Stevens, Josh Peterson, Jesse Shields, Brandon Crain and Greg Varnum of Lake Stevens; Blake Wistrom, Andrew Davis, Ryan Smith, Bobby Lowe, Josh Northrup, Mason Powers, Mike Bliss and Derek Hefley of Stanwood; Tim Waters, James Day, Jarad Neyens and Joe Newland of Marysville-Pilchuck; Nick Recor, Andy Ranko, Neil Manthe, Brad Williams and Chris Burnett of Monroe; Dan Kelliher, Jeremy Stevens, Blake Snow and David Sanneman of Cascade; Pat Job and Jefff Rodland of Snohomish; Sean Bayha and Cody Graham of Arlington, and Scott Donnell, John Lobbestael and Kyle Isaacson of Oak Harbor.
The South all-stars include: Brian Ouelette, Todd Matthews and Tyler Chittick of Kamiak; Luke Williams and Adam Villalobos of Lynnwood; A.J. Collins, Mike Burgher, Clete Barrick and Tim Workman of Shorecrest; Garrett Morgan, Nate Nicholson and Greg Amos of Mountlake Terrace; Luke Farden, Tony Guttu, Grant Boudon and Tyler Tonkin of Shorewood; Kiel Lillibridge of Jackson; Greg Heist and Bryant Dailey of Mariner; Tyler Levin, Jon Luatue, T.J. Gaffney and Lee Smith of Everett; Reed Brown, Titus Lester and Jake Beattiger of Edmonds-Woodway, and Jared Dyson and Brandon McKearney of Meadowdale.
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