Cheney opens GNL play with wins over East Valley, Pullman

Road wins are huge in any league, and that's especially true with the Great Northern League's boys' soccer schedule where teams play each other three times - none of which come on neutral sites.

So while last Saturday's 2-1 Cheney win at 2014 league runner-up Pullman might not be big now, later on in the season it could loom large for both squads. Right now, for Blackhawks head coach Mark Kiver, it's a "nice way to start off the season."

After a scoreless first 40 minutes it was the home Greyhounds who first found the back of the net, getting a goal in the 54th minute. With the game being played like a rugby scrum at midfield and just over the line into Cheney's upper defensive third most of the contest, the Blackhawks found themselves having to make the most of any offensive opportunities.

One of those came in the 65th minute when Blake Smith played a ball to forward William Bassedas who was isolated about 30 yards from the Pullman goal. The transfer student from Spain pushed past Greyhound defenders and knocked in a goal from about 18 yards out to tie the game.

Eleven minutes later the Blackhawks found themselves with another opportunity when Bassedas was fouled just outside the 18-yard box. Cruz Galm launched a nice shot towards a group of Cheney and Pullman players in front of the goal, with Spencer Yeager emerging from the group unmarked to head-in what proved to be the winning goal.

"It was a game where we had a couple opportunities and we buried those opportunities," Kiver said.

Pullman out shot Cheney 5 to 3, with Cheney goalkeeper Austin Wallace making four saves. Kiver said the number of shots was not indicative of the game, which was played in a crosswind of about 25 miles per hour and a field so soaked by recent rains it eventually transformed into a mud pit where "fluke things" can happen.

The win was Cheney's second in a row to open league play. Last Thursday the Blackhawks downed East Valley 2-1, with all the scoring again taking place in the second half.

In the 42nd minute, Oliver Smith played a ball inside the East Valley 6-yard box that forward Avery Dehner attempted to get a head on, but was instead possessed by Noah Prophet, who in turn bounced in the goal to the left side of the net.

The Knights answered quickly, with Tristan Gresch launching a high, floating shot from about 35 yards out that Austin got both hands on but couldn't control, tying the game in the 44th minute.

"He (Gresch) knows what he's doing from outside," Kiver said. "We gave them the open shot."

But the Blackhawks got it back 20 minutes later on a throw in possessed by Smith, who dribbled along the right side baseline and passed to a waiting Prophet inside the 6-yard box. The sophomore put his second goal of the game behind the Knights diving goalkeeper for the eventual game winner.

Cheney out shot East Valley 12-8 with Wallace making four saves, including a couple difficult stops in both halves.

Cheney moves to 2-1 overall with the wins, 2-0 in league play. The Blackhawks remain busy; hosting Greater Spokane League 4A school Lewis and Clark Monday, and following that with league games against Clarkston and West Valley.

Kiver has been happy with the development of his team since the opener with Ferris, although the busy schedule doesn't provide a lot of recovery time for the players.

John McCallum can be reached at jmac@cheneyfreepress.com.