SPSL NORTH

AT A GLANCE

∙ FAVORITES: Tahoma, AR.

∙ CONTENDERS: Thomas Jefferson, Federal Way, Kentwood.

∙ SLEEPER: Kentridge, Kentlake.

∙ LEAGUE OUTLOOK: A different team has won the North title in each of the last four years, which gives a good idea as to what to expect this spring. Jefferson certainly is capable of repeating as league champions, especially with all-league midfielders Chase Hanson and Casey Kim back in fold. However, the Raiders are going to receive a challenge from every team in the North, top to bottom. Tahoma midfielder Britton Jolley emerged as one of the league’s top players last year and with teammates Kyle Miller and Connor Dillon back on the pitch as well, there’s reason to expect the Bears to make a substantial jump in the standings. And while Tahoma and Thomas Jefferson came in as the consensus top two teams in a preseason coaches’ poll, look out for Federal Way. The Eagles finished near the basement of the North last spring, but that was without star Kelyn Rowe, who will play next year at UCLA. Rowe, who KW coach Aaron Radford noted as “one of the top two players in the state,” is a game changer and alters the look of the league. He scored four goals in the Eagles’ first three games and makes them instant challengers to the title. But don’t overlook either AR or KR, both of which return some top-tier talent and capable goal scorers.

• NOTABLE: Don’t expect the Kentwood team that started the season to be the one that finishes it. Kentwood’s Eli Peterson, a first-team all-league defender, injured his knee at the end of wrestling season and isn’t expected to return until the second half of the season. Peterson is among a handful of banged-up Conks. Once Peterson gets healthy, the Conquerors have one of the best young groups in the league and a top-tier goalkeeper in Rodney Greiling. If Kentwood can make it through the first half of the season in one piece, look out down the stretch. … Kentlake has plenty of holes to fill this spring as it graduated league MVP Drew Landram and first-teamer Allen Shour, who combined for 16 of the team’s 25 goals last spring. The Falcons also lost three-sport athlete Tyler Wright, who decided to turn out for track. Defensively, the Falcons should be as sound as any team in the league with goalkeeper Brandon Shipley and defender Colton Jensen back in the mix. Both were honorable mention selections last year. … Kent-Meridian ended a 46-match winless streak when it beat Kentwood 1-0 to finish off its 2009 campaign. Expect the Royals to build off of that win this season. K-M lost four starters to graduation and Ka Mar Din, one of the team’s top players last year, transferred. Yet, things are looking pretty good on the K-M field these days. The Royals return Jordan Roberts, one of the North’s fastest players, goalkeeper Jose Campos and midfielder Chuck Kibbie. In addition, K-M received a pair of transfers in Rene Munoz (Philadelphia) and Marvin Santana (Todd Beamer in Federal Way). Munoz, a forward, and Santana, a midfielder, will be key in igniting a K-M offense that struggled to find the back of the net last spring.

SPSL NORTH: PLAYERS TO WATCH

NAME SCHOOL POS. YEAR

Kelyn Rowe Federal Way Forward Senior

Notable: UCLA-bound senior is one of the top players in the state.

Rodney Greiling Kentwood GK Junior

Notable: First-team all-leaguer posted nine shutouts last season.

Chase Hanson Jefferson Midfielder Junior

Notable: One of the most balanced offensive players in the league.

Scott Geffre Kentridge Forward Senior

Notable: Led Chargers in scoring last spring with seven goals.

Britton Jolley Tahoma Midfielder Junior

Notable: Led the Bears in scoring last year as a sophomore.

Eli Peterson Kentwood Defender Sophomore

Notable: First-team all-leaguer as a freshman is dynamite when healthy.

Max Thomas A. Riverside Midfielder Senior

Notable: Top-returning scorer on a team that should challenge for North title.

Sam Piehler Kentridge Midfielder Junior

Notable: Scored 5 goals, dished out 4 assists last year.

Stefan Bangsund Kentwood Midfielder Sophomore

Notable: Made a strong impact as a freshman, look out this spring.

Jordan Roberts Kent-Meridian Defender Senior

Notable: Athletic Royal has untapped talent and speed to burn.

RETURNING ALL-LEAGUERS: First team — Rodney Greiling, goalkeeper, Kentwood; Taylor Jackson, defender, Auburn; Eli Peterson, defender, Kentwood; Kevin Wien, defender, Auburn Riverside; Chase Hanson, midfielder, Jefferson; Britton Jolley, midfielder, Tahoma; Max Thomas, midfielder, Auburn Riverside; Scott Geffre forward, Kentridge. Second team — Kyle Miller, defender, Tahoma; Conner Dillon, defender, Tahoma; Dalen Leverenz, midfielder, Auburn Riverside; Jared Fuller, midfielder, Kentwood; Casey Kim, midfielder, Jefferson; Joe Olenginski, midfielder, Auburn; Sam Piehler, forward, Kentridge.

CIRCLE ON THE CALENDAR

• Kentridge at Kentwood, April 20, 7:30 p.m.: If all goes as planned, both teams should be healthy by this point of the season and deliver a game that could have pivotal results.

• Tahoma at Jefferson, April 20, 7:30 p.m.: The final meeting of the regular season between the two teams pegged to battle it out for league supremacy. Should be a good one.

• Kentlake at Auburn Riverside, May 7, 7:30 p.m.: Playoff berths always seem to go down to the wire, especially in Kentlake’s case. If the Falcons are going to get it, everything could ride on this game against a talented AR squad.

• Kentwood at Kent-Meridian, May 7, 7:30 p.m.: The Royals stung the Conks in last year’s season-finale. Expect both teams to be up and ready for this one.