Spartan booters tie knots in tails of Panthers, Bearcats
By JOHN GALBREATH Sports Editor
Stanwood keeper Dalton Alumbaugh has held WesCo opponents at bay during the course of the early stages of the 2010 boys’ soccer campaign. PHOTO BY JOHN GALBREATH | STANWOOD/CAMANO NEWS
Snohomish’s Panthers (4-0-1, 13 points), expected by many observers to be this season’s North Division champion, were slowed down a bit by the resurgent Stanwood boys’ soccer team (2-1-2, 8 points, 4th place in league) last Tuesday evening.
Spartan defense, backed by the ever-steady senior keeper Dalton Alumbaugh, knocked away no less than eight shots-on-goal to preserve a morale-boosting 0-0 tie with the Cats.
Second-year head coach Scott Willsie felt his club performed well against the highpressure tactics of the hometown Panthers.
“We kept our cool and played an exceptional defensive game,” he said.
Three nights later, the Bearcats from Monroe tested the Spartans with a goal in the seventh minute of the second half for a 1-0 lead.
That margin held firm until Mickey Brown, a Stanwood midfielder, took Kody Henderson’s pass and maneuvered the black-and-white ball past the Monroe goaltender to knot the match with less than a minute remaining in regulation.
After a scoreless overtime, the match was declared a tie.
