Class 3A boys soccer: Newport title caps unbeaten season

CAMAS — With the obvious offensive firepower of Pedro Batres and Mirza Memic, it's easy to overlook everybody else on the Newport High School boys soccer team.

Tony Berkau was the forgotten man.

But Berkau, a senior forward, turned in a memorable career finale as he scored Newport's first two goals to power the Knights to a 5-0 decision over host Camas in last night's Class 3A state championship game at Doc Harris Stadium.

Batres, a senior forward with an electric game, added two goals and an assist as the Knights collected their second state crown and first since taking it all in 1982. At 20-0-1, it was school's first unbeaten title run in boys soccer.

Memic, a sophomore forward, tallied a goal and an assist, both in the final 15 minutes.

Before the season, Berkau had never played a minute of varsity soccer. He wasn't even sure if he'd turn out after a disappointing club season. Berkau, a starter only since midseason, then tweaked his left hamstring during the KingCo playoffs just weeks ago.

He turned out to be the kick-start the Knights needed last night.

"I didn't play well in the semifinal game, so I wanted to come out and end my career and leave on a good note," Berkau said. "I didn't know I'd leave Newport soccer like this. With guys like Pedro and Mirza, it's easy to be there and finish.

"They get so much attention drawn to them. They take a lot of pressure off you."

Newport coach Paul Mendes now has bookend state championships as he began his 21-year coaching stint with the Knights in 1982.

Berkau surprised Mendes with his season and stellar final.

"He was a surprise," Mendes said. "At the beginning of the season, he had no varsity experience as a senior and he was one of the last to make it. He was kind of an unknown. He got in two or three games near midseason and earned a starting spot.

"He and Pedro play well together. They are good friends."

Berkau ran his season totals to nine goals and three assists. He's glad he wasn't a spectator for the final.

"I would've been kicking myself in the butt if I was over there," Berkau said, pointing to the strong contingent of Newport fans.

Camas (17-2-2) got a school-best state finish. The runner-up showing was a surprise after the Papermakers lost seven seniors from the 2002 team, which finished third at state.

"That was an impressive performance in a final," Mendes said. "Everything just clicked after a little while. What sets this team apart was that every championship we won this season was in an adverse environment. This was a strong, focused team.

"I don't think Camas had seen a team like us before."

Meadowdale 2, North Thurston 0 (3rd-4th places) — Sophomore forward Solly Gold broke the scoring drought for the Mavericks in the 25th minute with a juke and shot past pulled-out goalkeeper Ryan Perkins. Gold juked left and went past Perkins to the right for the open-net goal.

The Mavericks (18-4-1) had the best finish in school history with their third-place trophy. Meadowdale lost 2-0 to Camas in the semifinals Friday. North Thurston (18-2-1), which entered the semifinals unbeaten, took fourth.

Meadowdale survived the final 15 minutes of regulation a man down. Mavericks senior Xavier Verreys, a Belgium foreign-exchange student, was hit with a yellow card and then a red card for taunting North Thurston's Dan Jones.

Yaw Agyei finished the scoring with a 50-yard dribble and score in the 79th minute, beating keeper Perkins and tapping the ball into an open net on the breakaway counter-attack.