Tahoma Senior High's Ryan Chase will join the Cavaliers in 2009.
Concordia Men's Soccer Adds Five to 2009 Recruiting Class
PORTLAND, Ore.—The eight-time defending champion Concordia men’s soccer team added five signees to its 2009 recruiting class, head coach Dan Birkey announced today.
Signing to continue their education and compete in soccer at Concordia were: Jared Brace (Vancouver, Wash./Columbia River H.S.); Ryan Chase (Seattle, Wash./Tahoma H.S.); Cole Dahle (Wilsonville, Ore./Wilsonville H.S.); Eric Meland (Vancouver, Wash./CAM H.S.) and Marc Meland (Vancouver, Wash./CAM H.S.).
Brace will graduate from Columbia River H.S. in 2009. As a junior, Brace earned first-team all-league and first-team all-region honors as a midfielder for the Chieftains. Leading the team with 16 goals scored, Brace was named an honorable mention all-state player.
Chase, a senior at Tahoma Senior High, is a two-year captain for the Bears and a three-year starter as a center midfielder. Chase has also been a member of the varsity basketball team since his freshman season.
Dahle was a four-year varsity goalkeeper for the Wildcats, earning first-team all-league honors as a senior. As a senior, Dahle was selected as a first-team all-league goalkeeper for the Wildcats. Dahle was also a member of the Wilsonville H.S. track and field team, competing in the long jump, triple jump and pole vault.
Eric and Marc Melande will arrive at Concordia following two standout seasons at Clark College. Both brothers were selected all-Southern Region in 2008 in leading the Penguins to a second-place finish in the conference. The Lelande’s graduated from CAM High School (Battle Ground, Wash.) in 2007.
Eric played four seasons of soccer, basketball and tennis for the Panthers, collecting GHSL all-Lleague honors his final two seasons as a midfielder on the pitch. Marc played four seasons of soccer and tennis and was a two-time captain and three-time all-league defender for the soccer team.
Under coach Birkey, who is in his 21st season, Concordia finished the 2008 season with a 14-6-2 record en route to winning their eighth straight Cascade Collegiate Conference championship. The Cavaliers earned a berth into the NAIA Championships and advanced to the quarterfinals with a penalty-kick win over No. 9 Concordia (Calif.) in the opening round of the NAIA Tournament. In the round of 16, No. 8 Hastings defeated Concordia 1-0 to end the Cavalier run.