Mexico's World Cup begins, and Puget Sound area residents are able to watch 42 of 52 games via Group W Cable’s Channel 29, a public access channel. All audio is in Spanish.

Carlos Farias and the San Diego Flash are ruthless in drubbing the 10-man Sounders, 6-0, in a second-round playoff series opener. Farias scores an opponent record four times, and it’s the worst domestic defeat in Seattle’s A-League era. Chugger Adair strikes first for the host Flash, in the third minute. Once Oliver Heald is sent off, San Diego quickly capitalizes on a Farias long-range shot. He adds a second-half hat trick. It’s San Diego’s third convincing win over Seattle, and a week later in Renton comes another shutout, 1-0, to clinch the series.

A strange twist of events combine to clinch the state league second half for Triumph Continental. Rallying from a 3-1 halftime deficit, the Continentals get two goals from Hans Hoerschelman and one from Brian Franklin to pass Rainier Brewing, 5-3. It takes Triumph (8-1-0) to an insurmountable 16 points with one round remaining. Meanwhile, Heidelberg is ruled a forfeit loser to Boeing. Eight Brewers players arrive for the game, and two are sent off with Boeing up, 1-nil. Referee Bill Patterson rules it a forfeit with only six players remaining.

Gina Cassella is among six assistants named to Sounders head coach Alan Hinton’s staff. Cassella, 28, becomes the first known female coach for a U.S. professional men’s team. She is a former U.S. National Team member who coaches the girls’ and boys’ teams at Bothell High School. Joining her are former NASL Sounders Tony Chursky, Tommy Jenkins, Frank Barton, Bernie James, plus Dale Baskett.

Nick Downing of Redmond's Eastlake is named Parade Magazine's national high school player of the year, making him the consensus choice. A month earlier, Downing was named Gatorade's top prep player. Downing has led Eastlake to state 4A titles each of the past two years, scoring 20 goals and 14 assists.

Six months since returning to her home state, Michelle French is named to the W-League Best XI after leading the Sounders Women back to the playoffs. A former U.S. international, French led the league with 13 assists. She took an instructor role at Starfire Sports in February and trains five girls' and boys' teams. The Kent native had played professionally for three seasons in WUSA before that league's demise. French will also serve as a color analyst for NBC Olympic soccer broadcasts from Athens.