Borah tips Lake City during injury time of opener

MERIDIAN, Idaho – Through all the drama and heartache of a classic soccer match, Lake City boys coach Chad Beadell kept his composure.

Staying true to the adage about players mirroring their coach, the Timberwolves stayed relatively cool through an emotional, physical and sometimes violent 2-1 loss to Borah in the first round of the Idaho State 5A Tournament.

“I told them as long as they played their tails off, I’d be proud of them,” Beadell said.

The Timberwolves (11-5-2) gave the game their all, but as can be the case in such a heartbreaking sport as soccer, one moment in an 80-minute contest turned a fantastic effort into a trip into the consolation bracket.

Lake City and Borah (13-5-2) played a crisp and, at times, chippy game that was deadlocked at 1 heading into injury time. During the minute before the final whistle, Borah sophomore Parker Phillips kicked a ball that Timberwolves goalie Scott Klein got his hands on. But the junior lost his grip, and the ball squirted past him and trickled over the goal line for the winning score.

“It was just a momentary lapse,” Beadell said of circumstances that allowed Phillips behind the defense into a one-on-one situation with the goalie.

LC plays Idaho Falls at 3 p.m. today back at the Boise Capital Soccer Complex. Idaho Falls was a 4-1 loser to Eagle, which will battle fellow District III member Borah in a 3 p.m. semifinal.

Lake City had several chances in the first half against the Lions, but the through balls seemed just a little too far ahead of the strikers each time.

“Momentum swings so fast in this sport,” Beadell said. “We would get a couple of balls that we’d just miss or hit their big goalie.”

Borah goalie Austin Taylor finished with six saves, while Lake City managed just eight shots against him.

The Timberwolves opened the second half in a 1-0 hole against the 2004 state runners-up from Boise, but Lake City struck 3 minutes into the second half to knot the game.

Senior Max Mussman found the ball on his right foot during a scrum after a Lake City corner kick.

With at least six players between him and the goal, Mussman powered a shot cleanly through the fracas that whistled past Taylor for the equalizer.

“I told them we needed to score in the first 10 or 12 minutes, and they did it,” Beadell said.

Lake City kept up the pressure throughout the second half despite simmering animosity between the two clubs that boiled into physical play that sent two Lake City players to the sideline with injuries and a third – junior Jake Williamson – off the pitch with a bloody nose.

Three yellow cards were issued.

LC may be without the services of seniors Tyler Palo and Michael Bagan for today’s elimination game. Both players suffered ankle injuries.

“This is a tough pill to swallow,” Beadell said. “I feel sorry for the senior class.”