Pasco hopes to knock CV off regional soccer throne

Another regional title game for the Pasco High School soccer team, and another familiar opponent.

The Bulldogs host Greater Spokane League champion Central Valley at 5:30 p.m. Thursday in the MCC-GSL title game, their third meeting in four years in the regional championship — Pasco lost to Lewis and Clark last year.

It’s also the fifth time the two sides have met in the postseason in the past three years, as the Bears have knocked the Bulldogs out of the past two state tournaments in the quarterfinal round.

“It’s pretty exciting, we’ve had some very exciting games against them in the past, so I’m looking forward to it again,” Pasco senior captain David Uribe said. “It’s always fun.”

Pasco (15-3) captured its third consecutive MCC championship this season — and beat Central Valley 5-1 in nonleague play — but suffered three league losses (to Kamiakin, Walla Walla and Southridge) in the process. But the Bulldogs say they found strength in their early season woes, and rattled off eight straight victories to close the regular season, and two more to reach the regional title game.

Now, Uribe and the rest of the team’s seniors are trying to accomplish something their predecessors couldn’t — beating Central Valley and making a push through the state playoffs.

“I feel like this year we’re a lot stronger mentally and we support each other more,” Uribe said. “(State) is what we play for every year. All this league and district stuff in the past, it’s all fun and games, but once you get to the state tournament, that’s where it matters.”

Uribe, a first team All-MCC and second team all-state midfielder last season, is one of the main reasons the Bulldogs have a shot at reaching the promised land, Pasco coach Matt Potter said. Despite missing some time due to injury, Uribe tied for sixth in the MCC with five league goals this season and also had a couple of assists.

But more than what Uribe contributes on the stat sheet, Potter said, is his positive attitude and work ethic that trickle down to the Bulldogs’ younger players.

“He’s had a great influence on each game, especially in the second half of the season, which in a game of 22 players is tough to do,” Potter said. “It’s huge, in fact we were talking to a freshman who’s in the same position as him, and he said ‘that’s what I want to be like.’ It’s cool to hear that, and great to have a role model like that.”

Potter said defense is a key area Pasco must improve upon to achieve that elusive postseason success. The Bulldogs have posted seven shutouts in their 18 games this season — not nearly enough to please Potter.

“We’ve gotta tighten up a little bit more defensively,” he said.

OTHER ACTION

4A: Richland will play Lewis and Clark in a loser-out game at 5 p.m. Thursday at Joe Albi Stadium in Spokane.

3A: Kennewick plays Southridge on Thursday for the MCC/GSL No. 2 seed to the glue crossover games. Kamiakin will host the No. 7 seed from District 2 in a glue crossover game Saturday, with the winner advancing to state.

This story was originally published May 10, 2017 at 5:32 PM with the headline "Pasco hopes to knock CV off regional soccer throne."