Lakeland pulls off huge upset

SANDPOINT - Sandpoint dominated Lakeland in nearly every facet of Thursday's 4A Region 1 boys soccer championship at Pine St. Field.

But one of the most unique things about soccer is that dominance doesn't always translate to the scoreboard, and that was the case on Thursday, as the No. 3 seed Hawks (6-11-2) pulled off a huge upset over the defending state champion and No. 1 seed Bulldogs, stealing a 1-0 win in a penalty kick shootout and punching their ticket to state.

The player of the game for Lakeland was goalie Cade Coffey, who made clutch save after clutch save to keep the game scoreless for 80 minutes of regulation and 20 minutes of overtime, before stopping two of nine penalty kicks in the shootout to propel his team to the improbable win.

"The whole season they (Sandpoint) beat us," said Coffey, whose team lost 2-0 and 3-0 in the regular season matchups. "To come out here and be the underdogs and win, it's just an awesome feeling."

Lakeland was unable to generate any quality offensive looks in regulation, managing just two shots on goal, but once a match goes to penalty kicks, anything can happen.

Lakeland coach Andrew Craig was just as surprised with the outcome as all of the players and spectators, who watched Sandpoint (11-3-2) narrowly miss a dozen great looks at goal, with shots hitting the cross bar, hitting the post and narrowly missing wide and high all game long.

"I am shocked. With Sandpoint having 12 seniors, the odds were slim, but the boys wanted this win and they worked hard for it," said Craig, lauding the effort of Coffey, who was playing with a sprained ankle. "He's an individual we rely on heavily, the backbone of this team. He kept us in this game more times than I can count."

The Bulldogs, who posted 10 shutouts and outscored their opponents 33-2 during a 10-0-2 stretch to close out the regular season, had a partisan home crowd oohing and awing often, usually followed by a collective groan after a wealth of near misses.

Jeremiah Gagnon missed a shot six inches wide in the first half and drilled the near post in the second half, Matthew Burgstahler missed a first half goal when a Lakeland defender volleyed a ball in front of the net, then missed a second half attempt when his header off a corner kick was stopped by a diving Coffey. Brycen Okon, Treavor Franck and Ash Dills had close up looks they couldn't finish, and Joab Logan had two headers sail a foot wide.

It was a tough pill to swallow for Bulldogs head coach Adam Tajan, who for the second time in three years had state title aspirations dashed with a loss to Lakeland in the district championship.

"Shocked is one way to describe it. Frustration, disappointment," said a stunned Tajan after the game. "Lakeland did exactly what they had to do, not let us score and take it to a shootout and hope for the best."

With a berth at state hanging in the balance the two teams went to a shootout, and it was rife with drama, as Coffey and Sandpoint keeper Jake Rookey had their respective team's fortunes resting on their shoulders.

Lakeland's Austin Garitone, Brent Giera, Collin Millette, Daniel McDevitt, Owen Shelton, Brett Rotz and Coffey each drilled their penalty kicks, with Kris Jackson and Kyle Deeter having their shots stopped by a diving Rookey.

For Sandpoint, Gagnon, Dills, Franck, Logan, Okon and Nick Rappaport each made their penalty kicks, while Aaron Crossingham and Kyle Stanley had theirs blocked and Zach Carother's final attempt hit the cross bar.

When 80 minutes of regulation and two 10 minute overtimes failed to yield a goal, the Hawks made 7/9 penalty kicks while the Bulldogs made 6/9 in the shootout.

"We controlled just about every facet of the game," said Tajan. "It's awful, heartbreaking for these seniors. They've been extraordinary. It's hard for the last game of their high school career to end like that."

Lakeland advances to the 4A state tournament on Thursday at Brothers Field in Caldwell.

First half - None. Second half - None. First overtime - None. Second overtime - None.

Shots on goal - LL 2, Spt 19.

Saves - LL, Cade Coffey, 14; Spt, Jake Rookey, 2.