Major League Soccer grants an expansion franchise to Seattle that will begin play at Qwest Field in 2009. The announcement is made at a press conference on the 75th floor of the Columbia Center. Seattle is awarded a team after solidifying an agreement with Hollywood executive Joe Roth, the majority owner, and fellow owners Adrian Hanauer (USL Sounders owner who operates numerous local businesses), Paul Allen (Microsoft co-founder and Seahawks/Portland TrailBlazers owner) and actor/comedian Drew Carey. Seattle will be the league’s 15th team.

Issaquah reclaims the 3A girls state crown by stunning Seattle Prep with bang-bang goals in the opening minutes of a 4-1 victory at Lakewood. Lauren Maris hits the Panthers in the first minute, and Elissa King makes it 2-nil in the third. Youth international Kate Deines, who missed the 2005 final loss, gets a goal early in the second half along with Ali Leale. Prep, reaching a final for the first time since 1991, averts a shutout with a late goal from Rachelle Ollee. Issaquah finishes undefeated (19-0-2).

In a showdown between two of the most successful girls' club in state history, North Seattle's Union Bay Flyers prevail over Highline's Pepsi Stompers on penalties, 3-3 (6-5), at Renton Stadium. Flyers keeper Kathy Long saves the Stompers' sixth attempt after Katie Rusho's conversion. Gina Cassella and Michelle Akers score in regulation for Union Bay, which won a third straight U19 state cup and sixth overall. The Stompers, featuring seven starters under age 16, including Shannon Higgins, had won six cups in a row and took first in league play, ahead of the Flyers. Long is named outstanding goalkeeper for the entire tournament and Lori Henry of the Stompers the outstanding player.

A trademark Michael Harris flip-throw leads to Ian Lange's winner as No. 2 seed Washington advances to its first NCAA Elite Eight, 1-0 over Stanford before 2,690 at a windy Husky Soccer Stadium. Harris launches the ball deep into the Cardinal box and Lange heads it home in the 84th minute. Lange had missed eight games with a knee injury. The Huskies' run ends six nights later on a frozen, 25-degree pitch. They manage just eight shots in a 1-0 loss to New Mexico. UW's two losses is the fewest since 1982.

George P. "Barney" Kempton, known as Puget Sound's Mr. Soccer in his prime, dies after a long illness at age 69. Kempton was Washington's first inductee to the National Soccer Hall of Fame in 1950. He had starred in the state league since his arrival from Ireland (via San Francisco) in 1914. Later, he organized soccer programs in parochial schools as well as the state reformatory. After working as a streetcar motorman, Kempton spent 15 years as Civic Stadium's head groundskeeper.

Ivan Torres, a key figure in Spokane's Hispanic and Latino community and its youth soccer scene, dies in a single-car accident on state Route 281 in George, Wash. Torres, 40, focused on empowering youth through sports with the Union Fútbol Club. He believed in the transformative power of the sport and sought to provide underserved children in the community with free soccer lessons. In memory of Torres, USL Spokane dedicates 10 percent of each Zephyr kit sale to Union FC.