Sandpoint leads state soccer field

When it comes to boys soccer in Idaho, Sandpoint has been as good as any team in the state this decade regardless of classification.

This year Sandpoint is seeking its eighth state championship since 2000.

The 5A, 4A and 3A state tournaments begin today in the Treasure Valley. In 4A, Sandpoint (13-2-2) opens against Skyview of Nampa (17-1-0).

“If we can stay healthy at state I like our chances,” said Sandpoint coach Randy Thoreson, whose Bulldogs have been slowed by injuries. “It’s been a struggle to get a good rhythm with the starters.”

Senior midfielder Daniel Anderson, the Inland Empire League’s most valuable player last year, has led Sandpoint in scoring for a second straight year. He has 15 goals.

In 5A, Coeur d’Alene’s boys qualified for state for a fourth straight year under coach Eric Louis. The Vikings (10-2-5) open against Centennial (13-3-1). After securing a state berth last week, Louis had his players talk about what their focus was for state.

“They want a state championship,” Louis said.

Two years ago, the Vikings took third. Louis believes this year’s team heads to state battle-tested.

“We don’t give up a lot of goals,” he said. “I like our chances at state for that reason alone.”

Post Falls (11-5-2), which is making its first trip to state, opens against Eagle (13-3-3).

The CdA and Lake City girls expect to fare well. They drew tough openers. CdA (11-5-3) takes on Mountain View (14-1-2) and LC (6-4-5) goes against Boise (15-2-0).

The test for CdA and LC is whether they can muster enough offense.

“Every game at state will be as hard, if not harder, than what we’ve just gone through,” CdA coach Tarragh Carr said of her team’s 2-1 shootout win over LC in the Region I title match.

Much on the line

The Coeur d’Alene football team (6-1, 1-0 league) can capture the 5A Inland Empire League title when it visits Lake City (1-6, 1-0) Friday. LC can’t lock up a playoff berth with a win because it has a game at Lewiston (4-3, 1-1), the other team still in the postseason hunt for the league’s two playoff berths.

In a big 4A IEL showdown, Sandpoint (5-2) plays its league opener at Moscow (5-2, 1-0), which throttled Lakeland in a conference opener last week. With a win, Moscow would secure the lone playoff berth. Sandpoint finishes league play next week at home against Lakeland.

•Area cross country runners get their first look at the state course this afternoon when state-qualifying meets are held at Circling Raven Golf Course.

The 5A and 4A Region I girls start things off at 2:30, followed by the boys at 3. The 3A and 2A District I-II girls go at 3:30, followed by the boys at 4.

•The 3A District I-II volleyball tournament is Saturday at Lakeland. The top two teams advance to state.

In loser-out matches, No. 6 seed Orofino takes on No. 3 Kellogg at 9 a.m. and No. 5 Bonners Ferry meets No. 4 Timberlake at 10:30. Double-elimination play follows when the Orofino-Kellogg winner faces No. 2 Priest River at noon and the BF-Timberlake winner goes against No. 1 St. Maries at 1:30 p.m. The title match is at 4.

•Also Saturday, the 4A Region I tourney concludes at Sandpoint with one state berth available, and Lake City visits Post Falls in a 5A Region I winner-to-state, loser-out match at noon.