Idaho soccer and volleyball playoffs well under way

Like the sun’s rays, fall playoffs reach Idaho quicker than Washington.

District playoffs for soccer were settled last week, with several area teams punching their tickets to the state playoffs, which start on Thursday.

Volleyball districts started over the weekend and conclude this week.

And while we’re at it, let’s settle some confusion about what to call these things.

I know in the past, sometimes the first round of playoffs in Idaho were referred to as “regionals,” but according to Julie Hammons, assistant director of the Idaho High School Athletic Association, no such animal exists.

“We don’t use the terms ‘region’ or ‘regional tournaments/games,’ ” Hammons said via email last week.

Rather, the IHSAA refers to these events as district tournaments, state play-in games and state tournament games.

As shall we.

We’ll tackle Washington’s nomenclature for playoff matchups – which seem to change with the season – next week.

Idaho boys soccer

Post Falls (10-3-0) earned the 5A District 1-2 title and Coeur d’Alene (9-4-2) won a play-in game on Saturday to snatch a berth.

The Trojans, led by Diego Esquivel, face the District 3 fourth-place team Rocky Mountain – on their home field no less – while the Vikings and leading scorer Greg DeVerna play District 3 third-place Borah at Eagle HS in the first round at states.

In 4A, Sandpoint (13-1-2) took the district title and lone seed to state and plays District 4 second-place Burley in Caldwell.

Bonners Ferry (11-5-1) earned the top seed out of 3A districts and faces District 3 champ Weiser at Vallivue HS. Timberlake (9-4-1) was eliminated by McCall-Donnelly in a shootout in a state play-in on Saturday.

Idaho girls soccer

Lake City (9-1-4) won the 5A district title and face District 3 fifth-place Eagle at Meridian HS. Post Falls lost its play-in game 1-0 to Rocky Mountain on Saturday at Lewiston HS.

Sandpoint (10-2-1) earned the 4A District 1-2 championship and lone seed to state and plays District 4 second-place Canyon Ridge in Caldwell.

In 3A, Coeur d’Alene Charter (14-0-1) took top honors at District and takes on a play-in winner at Vallivue. District 1-2 second-place Timberlake (10-4-1) plays District 3 champ Weiser.

Volleyball

In 5A District 1-2 volleyball, top-seeded Lake City (6-0 in league) handled No. 4 Coeur d’Alene (1-5) and No. 3 Post Falls (2-4) topped second-seeded Lewiston (3-3) on Saturday in the first round of districts.

The two play on Tuesday for the title and automatic berth to state. Thursday’s consolation winner will go to a 5A state play-in game.

Moscow (3-0) earned the top seed to districts in 4A and will host Tuesday’s Sandpoint-Lakeland winner on Thursday for the lone berth to state.

The 3A Intermountain league gets two automatic bids, with Bonners Ferry (7-1) holding the top seed. The district title game is Thursday and the second place game is on Friday.