Cda Girls Secure State Berth

The Coeur d’Alene High girls soccer team scored five goals Wednesday afternoon in its A-1 Region I tournament match against Lewiston.

The problem for Lewiston was it took just two shots in the 5-0 shutout.

It’s a good thing they switched sides at intermission because the Vikings spent so much time on the offensive end in both halves that school district maintenance workers probably won’t have to aerate at season’s end.

Top-seed and Border League champ CdA (15-1-2) secured one of the region’s three state berths. The Vikings play host to second seed Lake City (13-2-1) in the championship final Friday afternoon at 3.

LC earned a state berth with a 3-0 decision over Sandpoint at LC.

No. 5 seed Lewiston (8-10) travels to No. 3 Sandpoint (10-4-1) on Friday to decide the third state berth. The match begins at 3.

The Viks got going early when senior striker Janee Andre scored from 20 yards out off a pass from Rae Anne Capaul in the 14th minute.

CdA outshot Lewiston 13-1 in the first half, but had just one goal going into intermission.

Viks coach Geary Jerde had his inside midfielders pressure to the top of the goal box, and the strategy paid off.

Andre added a second goal off an assist from midfielder Erica Hauk, midfielder Tiffany Beck scored the third goal off an assist from Andre, midfielder Valerie Hughes notched the fourth, and Capaul got an unassisted goal with 3 minutes left.

“After we made some adjustments, it got a little easier,” Jerde said. “We possessed the ball well. We wanted to work on that to prepare for (Friday) because the speed of play will be faster.”

CdA finished with 31 shots. Lewiston goalie Jenelle Andrews had 16 saves.

Lewiston coach Greg Hilmes applauded the Viks.

“I was real pleased it was 1-0 at halftime,” Hilmes said. “We just couldn’t quite keep up with them in the second half. Coeur d’Alene was skilled at all positions. They played good solid defense when they needed it. It’s fun to watch a team play like that.”

Jerde had particular praise for his defenders: Casey Joyner, Rebecca Schmidt and Kai Sharbono.

CdA and LC tied in a non-league match and the Viks topped the Timberwolves 2-0 in league.

“Now we can relax a little,” Jerde said of securing the state berth. “But we have to be ready for Lake City. They’ll be hungry.”