Road likely travels through Sandpoint again

There’s no mistaking which school has dominated Inland Empire League boys and girls soccer in recent years.

The main north/south highway in the Panhandle winds through Sandpoint. It’s there that the road to conference championships ended last year.

Some coaches believe there could be a changing of the guard this fall – or a detour in the highway, to extend the metaphor angle here. But the challengers won’t take anything for granted. The phrase “until proven otherwise” came up more than once during preseason chats with coaches about the prospect of the Sandpoint teams being dethroned.

The season was moved up a week so the state tournaments could be played one week earlier than usual. The hope is the move will allow for better weather for state.

Here’s a look at how the battles for the league titles and the chase for 5A and 4A state berths should shape up.

Boys: No team was hit harder by graduation than Sandpoint.

Bulldogs coach Randy Thoreson said farewell to 12 players including the conference most valuable player, the defender of the year and the goalkeeper of the year.

“We’ve got a lot of new faces and some huge shoes to fill,” Thoreson said. “It’s like starting over in many ways when you lose 12 seniors who have been with your program for four years. You walk into the camp and it’s like ‘where’s the varsity?’ It’s going to be an interesting year.”

Don’t think for one moment that Sandpoint, which has captured four State 4A titles in the past six years, is playing for anything less than another state championship.

“Hell no,” Thoreson retorted. “That’s all we’re looking for. We don’t expect anything less. That’s not what we’re all about. If you expect anything less, you might as well go out for cross country.”

With Post Falls moving to 5A, the three 4A schools in the region will play for one state berth. Sandpoint is heavily favored to earn that berth over Moscow and Lakeland.

The battle for the automatic 5A berth – another berth can be captured in a play-in match – could involve as many as three of the four teams. The usual suspects – Lake City and Coeur d’Alene – could be pushed by Lewiston.

Lake City finished runner-up in league to Sandpoint.

“It was a great experience to get to state last year,” LC coach Chad Beadell said. “These guys will battle for me and play their hearts out.”

The same is expected across town.

“It’s tough to look too far into the season, but guys are going to perform and we’re going to end up in Boise (at state) – that’s the vision,” CdA coach Eric Louis said.

As far as league is concerned, Thoreson expects it to be a three-team race with his team, LC and CdA.

Girls: After taking a year’s leave of absence to finish work on a master’s degree in Hawaii, Adam Tajan returns as coach at Sandpoint.

He takes over a team that wants to get back to the state title match – where Tajan left the Bulldogs two years ago.

“The chemistry is pretty good so far,” Tajan said. “We’re pretty solid in defense. We just need to basically generate a little more offensive firepower.”

Sandpoint will be challenged by Lakeland, which fell 2-1 to Century in overtime in the state final last year, and Moscow. With just one state berth available, two good teams will be left home.

“They’ve come back hungry,” said Lakeland coach Mario Maddy, whose major loss to graduation was league MVP Kayla Stiegemeier. “They don’t like the way the year ended.”

In 5A, CdA and LC will tangle for one automatic state berth. A state berth also can be earned through a play-in match.

CdA goes into the season as the favorite between the crosstown teams. The Viks return 10 lettermen, eight of whom were starters including a talented foursome at defender.

“This could be a very special year,” CdA coach Tarragh Carr said.

CdA and LC should make the race for the league title a five-team affair.

“There’s not going to be one team running away with it,” Tajan said.