STATE SOCCER ADVANCE: Now ... it matters

For all that talk of being unbeaten heading into the state 5A boys soccer tournament, Lake City High boys coach Chad Beadell knows one thing.

It doesn't mean anything now.

State tournaments begin today in all three classifications, with championship matches scheduled for Saturday afternoon.

Boys: Lake City (15-0) opens the state tournament today at 10 a.m. PDT against Centennial High (16-1-2) of Boise at the Idaho Falls Soccer Complex. Centennial was last year's runner-up. The Timberwolves lost in the consolation championship to Post Falls.

"We don't have a win at state right now," said Beadell, who is in his 10th year at the school. "So we've got to think about what's next."

The Timberwolves will have had nine days between games.

"We'll try to keep them focused and healthy," Beadell said. "When you get to state, three games in three days is a lot to ask, but our depth is going to help us."

Lake City had 19 players get minutes in an 8-0 win in the Region 1 title game against Post Falls on Oct. 14.

"They've came together as a group unbelievably," Beadell said. "(Forward) Alec (Maldonado) gets a goal, and our keeper gets an assist, and he runs down to give the keeper a high five. We're all going the same direction and want the same thing."

Boise won last year's tournament.

"This senior group has been together a long time, whether in club or high school," Beadell said. "They can see the writing on the wall and it's time to go. It's been a fun year and we've balanced out all the way throughout the season. Right now, it's a coaches dream."

Lake City is bidding for its first state title since 1998 - the first year boys soccer in North Idaho moved to the fall.

Lake City girls: Eight Lake City seniors will give it their last shot starting today at the Idaho Falls Soccer Complex.

The group, led by forward Maddi Ward, midfielder Meaghan Bare and goalkeeper Tiegan Horton - all seniors - are the No. 1 seed from 5A Region 1. Lake City (14-2-1) face Eagle (15-2-2), the third seed from Region 3 (Boise).

Seven of the eight seniors played on Lake City's 2012 championship team which beat Post Falls in a penalty kick shootout at Coeur d'Alene High.

"We've got some very good finishers," said Lake City coach Matt Ruchti, who is in his 12th year as coach. "We've got a lot of good players who can score at any given time. We've got a good group of eight seniors, they wanted to finish what we started. They wanted to come back and keep competing."

The rest of the seniors include forwards Alissa Jolliff and Courtny Hanson, midfielders Aitana Vernon and Bailey Burgin and defenders Natalie Wheelock and Piper Glover. Another key player is forward Havana Johnson.

In the regional title game against Coeur d'Alene, Hanson scored two goals and Ward scored once.

Last season, Lake City lost to eventual state champion Boise, but came back to win the consolation championship.

"We thought those were the top two teams in the state," Ruchti said. "We just happened to face each other in the first round."

Coeur d'Alene girls: The Vikings are making their first appearance at state since 2009, when the team was coached by Tarragh Carr. Carr led the team to the 2006 title.

That '09 team finished sixth at state after winning the Region 1 tournament. This year's group, had two win twice - in Lewiston - to advance.

"The girls totally deserve this," said second-year Coeur d'Alene coach Andy Vredenburg, whose team went 2-12-1 last year.

Coeur d'Alene (9-6-1) opens the tournament against Rocky Mountain High of Meridian, the District 3 runner-up.

"This year, we've really focused on being mentally prepared," Vredenburg said. "We didn't take the game as serious as we should have last year. This year, we've came into every game ready to battle. The girls showed up with a mission and wanted to make it to state. And every game, the girls showed up and competed. These girls definitely have the talent, but just need to believe in themselves."

Boys: Moscow advanced by winning the Region 1 tournament and will face defending champion Jerome (13-2) in the opening round today at 9 a.m. at Post Falls High.

Girls: Sandpoint, which beat Bishop Kelly in last year's title match, was the lone qualifier from the north, opening the tournament at Lake City High today against Twin Falls (14-4).

Boys: Bonners Ferry advanced in a shootout victory over Timberlake in the District 1-2 title match on Oct. 16.

Last year's champion Gooding lost in a play-in match to Teton.

Girls: After missing out last year, Timberlake is back at state for the fourth time in five seasons.

The Tigers (10-4-1), also district champs for the fourth time in five seasons, open Thursday vs. District 4 runner-up Bliss at 10 a.m. at the Sunway Soccer Complex in Twin Falls.

"We're just getting started now," Timberlake coach Steve Michael said after the Tigers upended Intermountain League champion Coeur d'Alene Charter Academy 1-0 last week in the District 1-2 title game. "This is what we needed to get us over the edge for the ladies to believe in themselves, and to not quit, so we're going to be fine. This isn't the end, this is just the beginning for this season. ... We've had to overcome quite a bit to get here where we're at right now."

A win for Timberlake in the first round could mean a semifinal matchup with defending champion McCall-Donnelly.

"It's hard to ask more from the team, but we're going to have to ask more to compete down at state," said Michael, who started the program in 2008.

The Tigers were third in their first trip to state in 2010.

Coeur d'Alene Charter: In its second-straight tournament appearance, and only the third year in program history, the Panthers will get the toughest team this tournament will offer in the opening round.

Sugar-Salem (15-1-2) is the top seed from Region 6 (Eastern Idaho). Coeur d'Alene Charter is (14-2-1) and the District 1-2 runner-up, advancing after beating Fruitland in a play-in match.

"They play a possession game similar to ours," said Coeur d'Alene Charter coach Dave Baxter, of Sugar-Salem. "They've won nine games by way of shutout. I think we'll play a good game and it'll come down to who wants it more, who'll give it more effort."

In its first tournament match last season, Cd'A Charter lost a tough first-round game to Filer, but rallied to win the consolation championship.

"My goal in the tournament was to win the first game," Baxter said. "We lost it in excruciating fashion. They scored with 24 seconds left to break a 1-1 tie."

Charter, which has all 20 of its players back healthy for the first time all season, features senior forward Katie Baxter - the coaches daughter - who has scored 14 goals. Junior midfielder Abby Bartlett and co-captain and defender Hanna Venera, who returned from a severe concussion suffered last season, to play in a 6-0 District 1-2 semifinal win over Kellogg, are among other key players.

After losing on its own home field 1-0 to Timberlake in the district championship match, Charter bounced back to beat Fruitland 2-1 in a shootout at Lewiston to advance.

"To have a great game after we lost, I'm so proud of our team," Baxter said.