Scots, Mavs emerge as boys soccer teams to watch in ‘04

The big boys better watch out. Though the three Class 3A schools in the Western Conference South Division sometimes have had difficulty competing against their larger 4A competition, that won’t be the case this spring — at least on the soccer field.

The consensus among coaches in the league is that Meadowdale and Shorecrest are the two teams to beat.

It’s easy to see why the Mavericks are so highly regarded. Meadowdale has eight returning starters from a team that advanced to the Class 3A state semifinals and finished third overall.

Coach Darrell Hamilton won’t have any problem finding players to fill his three open slots in the starting lineup. With a strong sophomore class, Hamilton has a problem most coaches would love to have — finding enough playing time for all his players.

“You feel the eyes on the back of your head because they’re sitting on the bench looking at you wondering,” Hamilton said.

Meadowdale’s appearance in the state tournament was its first since 1970. This year, the Mavericks won’t be able to surprise the competition.

Year in and year out Shorecrest has always been a playoff contender, even when the Scots were supposedly rebuilding. Last season, coach Teddy Mitalas guided Shorecrest to the state playoffs despite losing 17 seniors and having to replace key players at virtually every position.

Mitalas recently recorded his 200th career victory and would like nothing better than to cap his 15th season with yet another extended playoff run.

Shorecrest graduated only five starters and returns 13 players with varsity experience. The Scots’ roster is loaded with underclassmen but most of them saw plenty of action last year. The Scots have advanced to the state playoffs 11 of the last 14 years and should continue the trend this season.

Making the playoffs might be a bit of a stretch for Lynnwood but the Royals clearly are headed in the right direction.

A 1-0 victory over Anacortes last month was the first in five years for a Lynnwood program that has struggled. The Royals followed up their momentous victory with a 1-0 triumph over league rival Everett.

Second-year Lynnwood coach Tim Colvin has emphasized conditioning and the effort seems to be paying dividends.

“I think anybody is fair game for us,” Colvin said.

The 4A race appears wide open with no clear favorite. When pressed, most coaches say Mariner appears to be the favorite.

The Marauders’ already strong lineup was bolstered by the addition of Martin Leites, who transferred from Mountlake Terrace. Leites was the leading scorer for the Hawks in 2003 and will give Mariner some added depth up front.

Defending champion Edmonds-Woodway graduated 10 seniors, including eight players who started for two years. Warriors coach Tony Gilman nevertheless is impressed by his largely untested group of newcomers and expects to be a contender by the end of the season.

Jackson also is dealing with a massive turnover. With the exception of three players, the Timberwolves’ lineup consists of players who are moving up from the junior varsity squad.

The young players are going to have to mature quickly if the Wolfpack is to make a second straight district playoff appearance.

Shorewood is retooling a lineup that is missing 10 seniors, including five all-leaguers. The Thunderbirds’ defense has performed well in the preseason and their offense showed signs of life in a 3-1 victory over then-unbeaten Mariner on Tuesday.

Mountlake Terrace was hurt by the loss of Leites but still is regarded as one of the better teams in the league. Senior Jonathan Carreno has become the focal point of the Hawks’ offense, scoring half of his team’s goals.

Mountlake Terrace coach Jerry Myers liked the grit his team exhibited in a preseason 2-2 tie against Meadowdale. After the Mavericks scored each of their goals, the Hawks responded with goals of their own. Myers, however, still sees plenty of room for improvement.

“We’ve got a long ways to go,” he said.

Myers’ comments likely would be echoed by every coach in the league. David Pan and Charlie Laughtland cover sports for The Enterprise Newspapers. Questions and comments may be sent by e-mail to entsports@heraldnet.com, by fax to 425-774-8622 or by mail to Sports editor, The Enterprise, 4303 198th St. SW., Lynnwood, WA 98036.