The irony is that game (against UW) counts for nothing, not in the league, not in the NAIA. But it means everything to our players, that they can play with big teams. They're shaking the image of the past.

Leagues are becoming increasingly popular in eastern Washington, from Tri-Cities to Wenatchee. Migrant farm workers from Mexico and Central America flock to teams. Combined, the Yakima and Lower Valley leagues have about 30 teams and 600 players since starting in mid-Eighties.

Chris Henderson plays the full 120 as USMNT wins first major tournament, the inaugural Gold Cup in Los Angeles, beating Honduras (0-0 4-3). The Everett native starts all five Gold Cup matches.

Mount Rainier claims its fourth 2A state boys championship via penalties (0-0 5-4) at Sparks Stadium in Puyallup. Mountain View defeats Cascade, 1-0, on Jeremy Britton’s early second-half strike. The Bruins were playing in their fifth consecutive 3A state final.

Third-ranked Seattle Pacific draws 3-3 with Cal Poly SLO but falls 3-1 on penalties in NCAA quarterfinal that is later overturned as forfeit.

Gary Heale scores three goals as the Tacoma Stars square their first-round MISL playoff series with a 4-3 overtime home win before only 2,760. The Storm, featuring former Tacoma standout Preki and Brian Schmetzer, win the series decider, 9-2, two days later in St. Louis.

Two weeks into their inaugural season the Washington Huskies receive a No. 20 national ranking after drawing, 1-1, at No. 16 Portland.

Aviation West of Highline SA soars to a fourth state cup in five years by going out winners of the boys U19 tournament. Three members of the team – Ben Erickson, Joey Mancuso and Rob Lebelle – are chosen for the U20 National Team.

Defending 2A girls champ Kennedy beats previously perfect (20-0-0) Seattle Prep, 4-0 in the championship game. Behind Sheralyn Stackhouse (2) and Justi Baumgardt goals, Federal Way halts high-scoring Mercer Island, 5-1 for the 3A crown at Shoreline Stadium. Bellevue Christian wins the boys A-B title, 3-2 in overtime, over Charles Wright.

Two goals from Jason Farrell spark 6-0 SPU win over Seattle University at Shoreline Stadium, the Falcons’ longest single-season win streak at nine games.

Seattle Pacific beats Washington, 3-2, to decide NCSC title behind Jason Farrell’s goal and two assists. Huskies Chris Sarver’s brace does snap Marcus Hahnemann’s 11-game shutout streak (989 minutes).

Jason Dunn’s goal in the 68th minute gives D2 Seattle Pacific the 1-0 upset defeat of Portland, ranked 20th in D1. It’s Cliff McCrath’s 300th win with the Falcons.

Washington wins its women’s varsity debut at San Diego State, 2-0, as freshman Rhonda Klein of Puyallup scores in the 65th minute and Amy Hamamoto adds insurance goal

Chris Henderson announces he will sign with the USMNT and forego his final two years at UCLA. Henderson has started the last 16 games for the U.S. He was the fourth-youngest player on the 1990 World Cup team.

Tom Fuegmann of Seattle University scores a pair of goals and Jason Dunn, a transfer from Washington to SPU, gets the third as the Washington state U23 team wins the George F. Donnelly Cup, 3-2, over host New Jersey in Newark. Fuegmann, Jason Farrell and James Dunn all receive invitations to the Olympic Sports Festival. Washington was unbeaten (12-0-2) during its run through regionals and nationals.

Michelle Akers, Amy Allmann, Lori Henry and Shannon Higgins return to Seattle and a reception with hundreds of local fans, including Governor Booth Gardner, at Mercer Island Community Center. Allmann, Henry and Higgins all announce they are retiring. They and Akers, regarded as the best female player in the world, earned only $1,000 per month from U.S. Soccer.

Forty-eight hours after being blasted, 11-2, in San Diego, the Tacoma Stars respond by beating the Sockers, 10-2, behind Bill Crook’s first career hat trick. The win clinches the West's third and final playoff berth.

Top-ranked Seattle Pacific, getting early goals from Jason Dunn and Jason Farrell, wins its eighth straight – all by Marcus Hahnemann shutout – over Whitworth, 4-0, at Newport High School in Bellevue.

After losing their fourth straight, 7-6 in overtime at Dallas, the Tacoma Stars head into 1992 with a 5-10 record, with five of those losses by one goal, three in overtime.

Michelle Akers scores a record five goals in in the first 47 minutes and the U.S. routs Chinese Taipei, 7-0, in the quarterfinals in Foshan. Akers’s masterpiece features two rebounds, a free kick, a penalty and a header.

Behind Kathleen Juergens’s brace, Washington finishes its first varsity women’s season seven-game unbeaten run and 10-6-2 overall by beating Simon Fraser, 4-0, at Everett High School.

Goals by Shari Rider and Wendy Johnson lead third-seeded Pacific Lutheran to its third NAIA national women's soccer championship in the past four years. The Lutes defeat Missouri Valley College, 4-0, at Patch Reef Park, Boca Raton. Rider is named tournament MVP.

Michelle Akers, 25 and 1984 Shorecrest graduate, scores both goals in 2-1 victory over Norway in first FIFA Women’s World Cup final before 59,000 in Canton. Akers intercepts a backpass for the winner into an empty net. She finishes with 10 goals in six games to lead the tournament. Shannon Higgins of Kent assists on the first U.S. goal. Winners will split $50,000.

Eric Penner scores in the 111th minute as Washington shocks top-ranked and defending NCAA champ UCLA, 2-1, in the Husky Classic title game at Interlake High School. Shannon Murray scores equalizer before 1,165.

USWNT opens play at first FIFA Women's World Cup in Panyu, China, defeating Sweden, 3-2. Washington natives Shannon Higgins and Michelle Akers are in the starting XI, and Higgins clears a Swede shot off the line. Thrilling experience, she say. "My heart was about to leap out of my body."