June 25, 2010
SPOKANE, Wash. - Gonzaga University head men's soccer coach Einar Thorarinsson will welcome 16 newcomers to camp in August.
Among the newcomers joining the Bulldogs are Greater Spokane League foes Alec Cutter of Ferris High and Nick Hamer of Mead High, and Inland Empire League twin brothers David and Nico Sanchez of Moscow, Idaho, High.
Other newcomers are Conrad Bess, Chatfield High, Littleton, Colo.; Aubrey Brown, La Costa Canyon High, Encinitas, Calif.; Greg Carter, Davis High, Davis, Calif., Keane Ellis, Kaiser High, Honolulu, Hawai'i, Taylor Jackson, Auburn High, Auburn, Wash.; Jakeem Lewis, Jesuit High, Sacramento, Calif., Jamison Loveless, Boise High, Boise, Idaho; Connor McGregor, Walsingham Academy, Williamsburg, Va.; Andrew Owenson, Cardinal Newman High, Sonoma, Calif.; Josh Phillips, Capital High, Olympia, Wash., Reed Stauffer, Capital High, Eagle, Idaho, and Brendan Wesley-Smith, Mid-Pacific High, Honolulu, Hawai'i.
Hamer and his Mead Panthers defended their District 8 4A boy's soccer championship with a 1-0 victory over Cutter and the Saxons, both teams advancing to the Washington State Class 4A regionals.
Ferris captured the Region IV title to advance to the State 4A tournament. In the regional semifinals Cutter had a pair of goals in regulation and one in a shootout as Ferris advanced 3-2 over Davis of Yakima, winning the shootout 4-3. Cutter assisted on the lone Saxon goal in a 1-0 regional finals victory over Pasco.
The Saxons lost their state opener 1-0 to Stadium, then came back to claim third place with a 2-0 win over Federal Way, Cutter scoring what proved to be the match-winner and assisting on the insurance goal.
Ferris finished the season 13-7-1 overall, including 8-2-0 in the GSL for third place. Mead finished 14-3-0 overall and 9-1-0 and tied for the GSL regular-season title, the lone GSL setback a 1-0 verdict to Ferris.
"This is a solid recruiting class," Thorarinsson said. "I think we've strengthened ourselves offensively and have added to what is already a strong defense. I think a lot of the newcomers will see some valuable minutes this fall."
Cutter, a midfielder/forward, is the all-time goal scorer in Saxons history with 37 and has 12 career assists. He sat out most of his junior year with an injury after being an All-GSL first-team selection as a sophomore. He scored 15 goals his sophomore season as Ferris finished in a four-way title for the GSL regular-season title. He also plays for the River City club team which won the U.S. Youth Soccer Washington State U-19 title last year.
Hamer was co-MVP for the Panthers as a junior and is a two-time All-GSL first-team selection on defense as a sophomore and junior. He is a co-captain for this year's Mead squad which allowed just three goals in GSL play.
Cutter and Hamer were named the GSL Offensive and Defensive Players of the Year, respectively, as voted by the league coaches and announced by The Spokesman-Review.
The Bulldogs may have a bit of an identity problem this season - namely telling identical twins David and Nico Sanchez apart. For the record, Nico is the oldest by one minute.
David has 22 career goals and 30 career assists for the Bears and has been a two-time All-IEL first-team pick at forward. Nico has 20 and 29 assists on his high school resume and was an All-IEL selection last season.
Moscow captured the 2007 District II championship to advance to the Idaho State 4A Tournament where they lost in the consolation semifinals.
The following are brief bios on the remaining 12 newcomers expected to report to camp.
Conrad Best, MF - Jefferson County 5A all-conference as senior...two-time Jefferson County 5A League champions...three-time Colorado Academic All-State.
Aubrey Brown, D - La Costa High ranked No. 2 in nation as junior in 2009...first team All-Avocado League as senior, honorable mention as junior.
Greg Carter, MF/D - Delta Valley Conference first-team and league MVP as senior...two-time DVC all-league pick as junior and senior...also pitches and plays infield for baseball team.
Keane Ellis, GK - 4-year starter...1.0 GAA as freshman, 0.86 as sophomore as team advanced to state quarterfinals, 0.94 as junior and 0.66 as senior as team again advanced to state quarterfinals...15 career shutouts.
Taylor Jackson, D - Named 3A South Puget Sound League honorable mention as freshman, first-team as sophomore, 4A South Puget Sound League North first-team as junior and senior.
Jakeem Lewis, D - Sat out senior season after suffering anterior cruciate ligament injury in August, 2009. Team won state title...helped team to CIF San Joacin Section Division I quarterfinals as a junior.
Jamison Loveless, MF - Two-time 5A Southern Idaho Conference first-team selection and three-time State All-Academic Team pick.
Connor McGregor, F - Virginia Independent Schools Athletic Association (VISAA) Division 2 first team as freshman, junior and senior...VISSA All-Divisions State Champion in 400 meters as sophomore...three-year starter in basketball, setting career steals record with 204.
Andrew Owenson, D/MF - Four-time North Bay All-League and three-time North Coast Section All-Empire selection...U-19 Santa Rosa United ranked as high as third in nation in 2010.
Josh Phillips, MF - Second-team Western Cascade Conference selection as freshman...did not play as sophomore because of injury or as junior because of U.S. Developmental Academy commitments...starting midfielder as senior.
Reed Stauffer, D - Started all 56 matches of high school career with 12 goals and 13 assists...All-Southern Idaho Conference as senior...4-year SIC All-Academic.
Brendan Wesley-Smith, D - Helped lead Mid-Pacific to Hawai'i High School Athletic Association Division II State Championship as senior for second title in three years, team finishing 12-2-1...first-team Interscholastic League of Honolulu pick.
