A U.S. professional women’s league, the National Soccer Alliance, plans to begin play in 1998 in eight markets, including Seattle. Plans call for the yet-to-be-named team to play home games at Husky Soccer Stadium, which will be boosted to 4,000 capacity with 1,500 additional bleachers. Other cities awarded franchises were San Francisco/San Jose, Boston, Raleigh, N.C., Dallas, Los Angeles, New York/New Jersey and Washington, D.C. Former Gov. Booth Gardner is the NSA commissioner, and Shoreline’s Michelle Akers has committed to play. Player salaries are projected to range from $15,000-$30,000.

Tim Gerherd's second-half goal snaps the deadlock and sends Bellevue's Newport High on to the state boys' prep championship, 2-1, over Shorecrest, before 2,500 at Memorial Stadium. Phil Carson's early opener for the Knights had been answered by Mark Faller's 26th goal of the year in the 35th minute. Gerherd nods home Brian Clearman's cross in the 57th minute. Faller's brace upset previously perfect O'Dea in the semifinals, 2-0. The Irish (21-1-0) take third.

Completing a home-and-home goodwill series, the Seattle Sounders make their first overseas journey a success on the field, defeating Vissel Kobe, 2-1. Chance Fry brings the visitors from behind with a pair of second-half goals. Vissel Kobe, winner of seven straight J-League matches and operating with a $30 million payroll, had played in Seattle five months earlier. Kobe, the Japanese sister city of Seattle, had been struck by a deadly earthquake in January 1995.

Major League Soccer targets March 31, 1996, for its inaugural kickoff of the 10-team Division I league. Dallas, Denver and Kansas City are named as the final three homes for MLS, which will also have franchises in Boston, Columbus, Los Angeles, New York/New Jersey, San Jose, Tampa Bay and Washington. Initially a viable candidate, Seattle is bypassed due to the lack of a suitable grass playing facility.

Plagued by back pain, Annie Schefter doesn't start but she eventually finishes off Lakeside, 2-1, in the girls' 3A state final at Federal Way. Schefter, bound for Notre Dame, scores both goals for the Rams, who finish 24-0-0 and avenge a loss to the Lions a year earlier. Schefter's penalty with five seconds left in the first half opens the scoring. Teryn Allen levels matters for Lakeside in the 46th minute, but Schefter's 47th goal of the year wins it in the 66th minute. Lakeside (20-2-0) edged West Valley by an identical score in 2000.

The Seattle Hungarians become the first Pacific Northwest club and one of 123 nationwide to enter the U.S. Challenge Cup. The tournament features 25 entries from California. Fort Lewis enters the 132-team Amateur Cup field.