Post Falls builds a title
<p>Post Falls' goalkeeper Noah Gondo goes up for the save against Boise's Blaise Serungo (17) and Luke Schwarz.</p>
<p>Boise High School's Blaise Serungo goes up for a header in the first half of the 5A State Idaho Boys High School Soccer championship against Post Falls Saturday in Coeur d'Alene.</p>
<p>Timmy Mueller of Post Falls aims a header toward the goal over a handful of Boise High defenders in the first half.</p>
<p>The Post Falls High School boys soccer team celebrates after a 3-0 victory over Boise High in the state 5A boys soccer championship Saturday in Coeur d'Alene.</p>
COEUR d'ALENE - After building the Post Falls boys soccer program for 10 years, coach Gabe Lawson and the Trojans put the final piece in place on Saturday.
A state championship.
Junior midfielder Timmy Mueller scored two goals as Post Falls defeated defending 5A champion Boise 3-0 in the championship game of the state soccer tournament at Coeur d'Alene High.
"He was a man possessed today," Lawson said of Mueller. "He talked to me privately and said there's no way, no how that he was going to let us lose this game today. He was possessed all tournament long. He was a man on fire throughout the whole tournament, and you can't teach that. He had a drive in him that nobody else had out there."
Post Falls' championship is the first by a North Idaho boys team in the state's largest classification since Lake City won the state A-1 title in 1998.
"I think that was the ultimate goal for us, even though we were getting crushed by other teams early on," Lawson said. "But the goal was to bring consistency to a program over a period of time and improve every year. And that's what happened."
Post Falls did not allow a goal in regulation or overtime in the tournament - with the only goals scored in penalty kicks Thursday against Borah in Post Falls.
"They were stellar the entire tournament," Lawson said of his defense. "I can't say enough about them and since we've only got three back, they were just amazing. Those guys were impenetrable all year and most of the goals we gave up this year were off set pieces - so all season long, it's been the same thing and they had a hard time getting a shot on us today."
"This is amazing," said Lawson of the state championship. "It's what I've been working on for the last 10 years and is the pinnacle of my career."
Following a hand ball in the box by a Boise player, senior defender Brady Ulen scored on a penalty kick in the 28th minute to open the scoring for Post Falls (17-1-1).
“On the bus ride here, you could hear crickets because everyone was focused,” Ulen said. “There was no screwing around. We came out flat, but once we got that PK (penalty kick), we got some energy back and got it going. I knew I had to step up for the team and once it went in, I knew we had it. Once it went in, we got energized and it propelled us to win.”
Also helping were more than 500 fans along the sidelines cheering for Post Falls.
“It’s a great advantage to have it in North Idaho,” Ulen said of state. “We’ve got all our fans here and that’s the base of our team. We get energy from them. This title means the world to me. We’ve been working on this for four years and to have all the underclassmen step up and help out — it’s just amazing.”
Mueller scored the first of his two goals from 40 yards out on a free kick to give Post Falls a 2-0 advantage at halftime. His unassisted goal in the 56th minute capped the scoring.
“I had the mindset we weren’t going to lose this game,” Mueller said. “I didn’t say we’d win, but we weren’t going to lose.”
Mueller finished the tournament with four goals, giving him 30 on the season, 72 for his Trojan career.
“It was time to step up,” Mueller said. “I told myself we weren’t going to lose and we were going to step up to the occasion.”
Post Falls has 10 seniors on this year’s team.
“I’m really going to miss them,” Mueller said. “They’re a really good group of guys and good soccer players, but more importantly, they’re good friends of mine. They’re my best friends and that’s what makes a team. We play as a team and lose as a team and it’s great we won state. I feel honored because we represent the last 10 years of this program and for Gabe — because he’s been working this up and it’s nice to see it pay off for him. It’s good to see his blood, sweat and tears pay off for him.”
Boise, playing in its seventh state championship match in the last 10 years, was vying for its fourth state title over that span.
“I think both teams in the beginning were battling hard,” Boise coach Tim Darrow said. “There was some run of good plays in the first half, then we got unlucky to get a PK call and it changed things a little bit. No. 9 (Mueller) hit that outstanding free kick and it really put the pressure on us. Post Falls is just solid and have players at each position. Both teams had that and it was just an outstanding soccer match.”
First half — 1, PF, Brady Ulen (penalty kick), 28:00. 2, PF, Timmy Mueller (free kick), 38:00. Second half — 3, PF, Mueller (unassisted), 56:00.
Shots on goal — PF 5, Boi 3.
Saves — PF, Noah Gondo 3; Boi, Grant Billings 4.