Timber kin pack twice the punch

Brothers Shawn and Josh Saunders deliver power, candor on field

By Steve Brandon

The Portland Tribune, May 21, 2004, Updated Oct 30, 2009

The Portland Timbers are all for brotherly love Ñeven brotherly tough love.

Both are being displayed this season by two key players, goalkeeper Josh Saunders and his older brother, midfielder-defender Shawn Saunders.

“Off the field, we get along great. On the field, we yell at each other,” Josh says. “That’s because we expect a lot from each other.”

Coach Bobby Howe has noticed the, ahem, interaction.

“They’re actually quite good for each other,” he says, “but they don’t hold anything back, that’s for sure.”

The Saunderses share an apartment in Tigard. Both start, and have had a big hand in Portland’s 3-0 start. Josh was named A-League goalie of the week after making eight saves in a 1-0 win over Seattle on Saturday.

The Saunders boys grew up in Lake Forest, Calif., near Mission Viejo.

“My brother and my father were always my biggest critics,” Josh says.

Josh and Shawn went to different high schools and, because of the age difference, never played on the same team until a stint with the Orange County Blue Star, a Premier Development League amateur club, three years ago.

But as youngsters, they kicked the ball around a lot Ñ and Shawn got plenty of chances to kick at Josh as the latter learned how to play in goal.

“I got many injuries from that,” Josh says, laughing. “Hurt my wrists a bunch of times.”

Josh played for the Timbers last season, posting six shuts in going 10-4-2 with 0.90 goals against per game (fifth-best in the league).

Before this season, he told Howe he knew of a player who might be able to help the team.

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