Shadow Men’s First Team in EPLWA Playoff Hunt

Monday, July 1, 2024

The Shadow Men’s First Team are looking to defend their Evergreen Premier League championship as they head into the final weeks of the EPLWA season. They host Tri-Cities Badgers in their final home match Sunday, July 14 at the Spokane Polo Grounds at 5:00 in a vital contest in the push for the playoffs.

The squad opened with a bang with three consecutive wins against East Conference foes Tri Cities Badgers, Spokane United and Washington East Surf.

They hit a bit of a bump in their first two-game trip, falling in a rematch of the 2023 EPLWA Championship contest at Yakima United and the second at Vancouver Victory in a pair of close contests.

They rebounded with a flourish, though, hosting the top two sides from the North Conference and posting back-to-back wins against 2023 playoff sides Bellingham United and Everett Jets 2-1 and 3-0, respectively on the mid-June weekend.

Leading the club this season has been a trio of standouts. Longtime member of the side Tanner Williams has tallied three goals with five assists so far this season. Balancing his efforts up top have been Whitworth’s Cole Friesen, who tallied five goals in the first two games of the season, and Andres Tapia, who has seven goals and three assists on the campaign. The former MCC 2019 Player of the Year at Walla Walla HS played at Walla Walla CC and the Walla Walla Stars of the CPL previously.

In a sign of how competitive the East Division has become, WE Surf pulled off the upset in the most recent contest to split the season series and make the playoff race interesting going into the final weeks.