Viks Shove Bulldogs Out Of First

Idaho high school soccer

The Sandpoint High girls soccer team had everything to gain Saturday in its return match with Coeur d’Alene.

And as it may turn out, Sandpoint had everything to lose in suffering its first North Idaho League defeat.

Coeur d’Alene knocked the Bulldogs out of first place with a 1-0 decision at the Viking Field complex.

Sandpoint defeated CdA 3-1 in an earlier match. The Bulldogs needed no worse than a tie to capture the league title outright.

The Vikings, defending league champs, need victories in their final two matches this week to earn the league title. More importantly, the league crown would give CdA hosting privileges throughout the state-qualifying tournament.

That’s a change from a previous plan for a predetermined site for the district title match.

CdA (10-2-0) claims to be in first based on having one more victory than Sandpoint (9-1-2). And Sandpoint believes that if both teams win their final matches, the Bulldogs should be declared champions based on fewer league losses.

That apparently will be officially decided this week by the District I commissioner.

Under a traditional point format for wins, ties and losses, each team would receive three points for a win and one point for a tie. No points are awarded for losses. If that’s the working formula - and neither coach was sure Saturday - then CdA would have 30 points to Sandpoint’s 29.

Sandpoint (11-1-2 overall) appeared to be a lock for the league title prior to last weekend. But back-to-back ties to Lewiston and Lake City kept CdA’s hopes alive.

CdA (12-5) didn’t help itself when it lost 3-1 at Moscow on Thursday.

But the Vikings rebounded Saturday. CdA and Lake City may be intracity rivals, but the Viks and Bulldogs share a longtime dislike for each other.

The teams battled through 55 scoreless minutes until freshman Elizabeth Hail broke through for the Viks.

Hail stole the ball from a Bulldog defender, briefly dribbled inside the arc in front of the goal and fired a shot from 20 yards that deflected off diving Sandpoint goalie Tashena Taylor’s hands into the right corner of the net.

CdA’s defense was a big reason for Sandpoint’s inability to score. Defenders Tiffany Beck, Teah Beckman, Angela Hughes and Cassie Gatten and midfielders Casey Joyner, Jaime Jerde and Kara Kovatch allowed minimal penetration.

“Our defense doesn’t get enough credit,” Jerde said. “They (the Bulldogs) couldn’t do anything. They didn’t know where to go.”

The Bulldogs finish league play Tuesday at Lakeland. Sandpoint will most likely collect three points on a forfeit from winless Bonners Ferry, which had to cancel an earlier match with the Bulldogs for lack of players.

Coeur d’Alene is host to Post Falls on Tuesday and concludes league with what should be a tough match at late-surging Lewiston on Friday.

In another NISL match, Lake City was too much for Lakeland, winning 4-2 at Rathdrum.

Sophomore Hayley Shortridge scored two goals to lead LC (6-5-2, 7-5-3).

LC had 21 shots on goal. Lakeland goalie Serena Primmer absorbed 12 saves.

Also in the NISL, Becky Roberts scored a pair of unassisted goals and Carmen Zobel added two scores as visiting Lewiston (6-5-2, 5-5-2) notched a 4-1 win over Post Falls (2-11-1, 1-10-1).

Zobel scored off a corner kick and a one-on-one play against the goalkeeper. Jennifer Swanstrom of the Trojans also scored on a one-on-one play.

Eight different players scored in Moscow’s 8-0 win at Bonners Ferry (0-11-0).

Brenda Robinson began the scoring at 12 minutes, after a crossing pass from Faith Enfield. Tara Tribbett had two assists for the third-place Bears (12-3-0, 10-3-0).

, DataTimes