Sandpoint stuns BK

MIDDLETON - They preceded Bishop Kelly's streak of 89 straight games without a loss, and on Saturday, the Sandpoint Bulldogs ended it.

Bishop Kelly's girls soccer team had gone 88-0-1 since losing to Sandpoint on Oct. 22, 2009 - until Saturday, when the Bulldogs blanked the Knights of Boise, 1-0, in the 4A state championship at Middleton High. It is the sixth state soccer title for Sandpoint's girls and ended Bishop Kelly's quest for a record fourth straight championship.

Senior Sierra Scott provided the game's lone score for Sandpoint late in the first half, and a tough defense neutralized a potent Bishop Kelly attack.

"It's just that we've worked years for this, all these seniors, and it's finally happened," Scott said. "All these things are happening - they're overwhelming, but they're also amazing."

The tight contest was fitting, as Bishop Kelly topped Sandpoint in the 2010 and 2011 state championship games in overtime and on penalty kicks, respectively.

Another state championship rematch had to wait, as the Bulldogs did not reach the tournament last season, losing in regional play.

"I think not getting to state last year really burned inside a lot of players throughout this entire season, and it showed," Sandpoint (13-3-4) coach Conor Baranski said.

It showed in Scott's score, when she knocked in a shot off her left foot from point-blank range in the 31st minute after Paige Crane's free kick curled through the Bishop Kelly (20-1-1) defense. The goal was her team-high 18th of the season.

"The ball was all I could see, and I had to get my foot on it, any way possible," Scott said.

And it particularly showed in the Sandpoint defense, which shut out a Bishop Kelly team that had scored 53 goals in its previous nine games leading up to Saturday's contest.

Goalkeeper Makayla Sundquist had eight saves, including a diving stop, pushing aside an Alyssa Stewart attempt early in the second half as Stewart squeezed past the Bulldogs' back line. In the final minutes, the Knights could not convert on a corner kick and a free kick that sailed just over the head of an attacking Raquelle Mouw, going for the equalizer.

"Things got a little scary out there, but we kept our composure," said Sundquist, who did not allow a goal in any of the three state tournament games.

Sandpoint seniors Athena and Alanna Robinson came up with an idea to write "hold fast" on their knuckles, and many teammates followed suit, reminded of the need to bear down and grind it out against the Knights.

"It meant we had to keep strong, keep everything locked down, hold everyone together," Sundquist said.

Making it tougher for Bishop Kelly was the loss of senior Mickie Piechowski, who had 33 goals on the season before leaving the game with an injury in the ninth minute. Knights coach Curtis Eisenberg, who said his team felt "kind of disbelief" at the end of the streak, praised Sandpoint's defense against his offense, which had a deep, speedy group of forwards.

"They defended very well, handled our pressure very well," Eisenberg said.

Baranski noted that his team had earned some close victories, including a 2-0 win over Middleton in the semifinals where the last score came in the 83rd minute. That ability to close out games came in handy as Bishop Kelly made its final attempts to continue the streak.

"It showed there, their commitment at the end of the game to get to loose balls, get two bodies in front of a shot," Baranski said.

For the Bulldogs' seniors, like Scott, the Robinsons and Sundquist, years of work paid off Saturday. The reminders of losing state titles in heartbreaking fashion or of not even making it to that point at all were quickly forgotten. A shutout to become state champs while ending a jaw-dropping streak made it all worth it.

"I've just wanted to sign a banner," Sundquist said. "I'm so proud of my team, we didn't even make it last year.

"To come here, to win and not get scored on, it's the most amazing feeling."

First half - 1, Sierra Scott (Paige Crane), 31:00. Second half - none.

Shots on goal - Spt 3, BK 8.

Saves - Spt, Makayla Sundquist, 8; BK, Miranda Sawyer, 2.