Trojans advance to state
POST FALLS - The Post Falls High boys soccer team earned a trip to state for the second straight year on Monday, and the Trojans plan to go there with a different attitude this year.
"We can't be cocky; we had some big egos last year," said Trojan senior center midfielder Kobi Nuss, who had a goal and an assist as Post Falls beat Coeur d'Alene 3-0 in the 5A Region 1 title game at Post Falls High. "This year we've got them (egos) under check, and we've learned to stay strong."
Timmy Mueller and Nathan White also scored goals for the Trojans, who won their second straight regional title.
"We're very happy about it," Post Falls coach Gabe Lawson said. "It's always a challenge to do those things consecutively, and maintain focus. I actually feel that we were better focused this year than we were last. Our team is together more; there's no issues. They're a very united group."
"Everyone was expecting it (this year), Nuss said. "Everyone had to work harder. This is where we're supposed to be."
Post Falls (14-1-1) advances to state next weekend at Coeur d'Alene and Post Falls high schools. Post Falls will open next Thursday on its own field, playing the second-place finisher from District 3 (Boise area) at 11:30 a.m.
Coeur d'Alene (9-5-3) travels to Middleton High on Saturday for a state play-in game at 2 p.m. PDT against the fifth-place finisher from District 3.
Post Falls scored in the 10th minute, as Nuss fed a ball ahead to White, another midfielder, who was making a run up the left side. Coeur d'Alene keeper Keagan Shillington came out to challenge, but White's left-footed shot glanced off Shillington and into the goal from 15 yards out.
Midway through the second half, Mueller found a narrow opening on a free kick from 30 yards out on the left, and snuck the shot low and inside the near post.
Nuss capped the scoring by heading in a cross from Reece Jackson in the 78th minute.
Coeur d'Alene played without standout forward Graison Le, who sat out after receiving his fifth red card of the season last Wednesday in a semifinal win over Lake City.
"Obviously them not having Graison Le was a factor," Lawson said. "It allows us to not have to worry about marking him defensively. The last time we played them, we beat them, but we still had to worry about where he was. Today, we were able to forget about that and just play our game."
Still, the Vikings had their chances on Monday, missing a point-blank shot late in the first half and missing two other close-in shots early in the second half when Post Falls led just 1-0.
"It was a disappointing result, but we're not disappointed in how we played," Coeur d'Alene coach Jeff Lake said. "Hats off to them; they played well. They're an excellent team. Good luck at state, and hopefully we can join them. They finished their chances, and we didn't. In the back of our minds we knew coming into it that we had to win one game this week, and it looks like it's got to be the one on Saturday."
Midway through the first half, Johnny Dance of Coeur d'Alene and Kyler Floch slammed their right shins into each other while vying for a ball. Floch, a defender, suffered a broken leg, Lawson said.
First half - 1, PF, Nathan White (Kobi Nuss), 10:00. Second half - 2, PF, Timmy Mueller (free kick), 60:00. 3, PF, Nuss (Reece Jackson), 78:00.
Shots on goal - Cd'A 5, PF 10.
Saves - Cd'A, Keagan Shillington 10; PF, Noah Gondo 4.