Idaho 5A boys : CdA claims 3rd place

The Coeur d’Alene High boys soccer team was pleased to capture a trophy Saturday.

Vikings coach Eric Louis summed up why his team wasn’t completely content, though.

“We were done a couple of hours early here by my count,” Louis said after the Vikings accepted the third-place trophy following a 2-1 win over Idaho Falls in the State 5A tournament at Lake City High School. “I woke up last night at 3:30 (a.m.) and tossed around for an hour (thinking), ‘Gosh, I can’t believe we’re not playing at 2 (p.m. for the state title).’ “

In the title match, Boise knocked off defending state champ Mountain View 2-1.

Centennial had no trouble disposing of Timberline 4-0 in the fourth-place match.

CdA 2, Idaho Falls 1: While the Vikings had their hearts set on playing for gold, they shrugged off the disappointment to finish their season on a high note.

“It wasn’t so much the third-place trophy, it was keeping the losses to one,” Vikings forward Jordan Correia said. “We definitely had a chance to win state. We just got unlucky in that (semifinal) game.”

Such is the sport of soccer.

Correia accounted for what proved to be the winning goal when he flicked a header off a crossing pass from sophomore Jordon Eborall in the 66th minute. The header bounded high over the goalie’s head.

The score put CdA (17-1-3) ahead 2-0. The insurance cushion would be crucial 12 minutes later when Idaho Falls frantically flooded the offensive end, pulling within 2-1 when Jeff Hampton knocked a header past CdA goalie Marc Hilbert, who slipped as he tried to brace for the shot.

The goal gave the Tigers, who were defeated 3-0 by CdA in the teams’ second match of the season at IF, brief hope.

But the Vikings clamped down thereafter.

CdA junior forward Robby Astin scored the first goal off a free kick from 15 yards out in the 61st minute. The ball was slightly redirected off the shoes of a Tiger on the outside edge of a three-man wall. Just as the ball went through, CdA senior midfielder Cameron Vandall broke toward the goal.

“I think the keeper got distracted by Cameron and thought he was going to get it,” Astin said. “I was just trying to put it on the ground and I knew it was going to skip.”

Like it was all season, the Vikings’ defense was stellar.

“I’m really proud of the back three and their hard work,” Louis said. “They just inspired confidence all the way around.”

Astin thought it was obvious why the Vikings started slowly.

“I think we had a little disappointment from yesterday carry over into the first half,” Astin said. “We couldn’t get our touches right and Idaho Falls came out and played great. But we wanted to really win this game because one loss is still a good season. We got recomposed at halftime and came out strong in the second half and played a lot better.”

Correia was determined that his final match would have a happy ending.

“I wanted to make this final game count,” he said. “What made it even more special is my goal turned out to be the game-winner.”