Area prep soccer teams ready to vie for state berths

Seems like we just started this high school sports season, and the postseason in boys and girls soccer is looming.

The 5A Region 1 boys and girls tournaments begin Saturday, as do the 3A District 1-2 boys and girls tourneys. The 4A Region 1 girls tournament starts a week from today, and the boys tourney starts a week from Tuesday.

In 5A boys soccer, Lake City (4-0-0 league) can wrap up the 5A Inland Empire League title and the No. 1 seed to regionals with a victory at Lewiston (1-3-1) on Tuesday. The Timberwolves finish the regular season Thursday at Coeur d’Alene (3-2-0). Post Falls finished 1-4-1 in league.

Lake City and Coeur d’Alene will host loser-out first-round games at regionals on Saturday. The title game is Wednesday, Oct. 14 at the higher seed, with the winner advancing to state and the loser moving to a state play-in game Saturday, Oct. 17 at Lewiston.

In 5A girls soccer, Lake City (4-0-0 league) can clinch the 5A IEL title and the top seed to regionals with a win at home vs. second-place Coeur d’Alene (4-1-0) on Wednesday. The T-Wolves play host to Lewiston (2-3-0) on Tuesday. Post Falls (0-6-0) will be the No. 4 seed and will travel to the No. 1 seed in the first round on Saturday.

The title game is Tuesday, Oct. 13, with the winner advancing to state, and the loser moving to a state play-in game Saturday, Oct. 17 in Lewiston.

In 4A boys soccer, Lakeland and Sandpoint are both 1-0-2 in the 4A IEL, and have tied in each of their two meetings. Moscow is 0-2-0. Both play Moscow this week to wrap up league play, with Lakeland playing host to the Bears on Tuesday. If the Hawks and Bulldogs tie, a tiebreaker would be used to determine the No. 1 seed to regionals, and Lakeland’s win at 5A IEL-leading Lake City on Sept. 26 could prove to be the difference.

The No. 2 seed hosts the No. 3 seed on Tuesday, Oct. 13. The winner plays at the No. 1 seed on Thursday, Oct. 15 for a berth to state. The loser can still qualify for state by winning a play-in game Saturday, Oct. 17 in Lewiston.

In 4A girls soccer, Sandpoint (3-0-0 in the 4A IEL) has already wrapped up the No. 1 seed to regionals. Lakeland (1-2-0) vsits Moscow (0-2-0) on Tuesday as they fight it out for the second and third seeds.

The No. 3 seed will play at the No. 2 seed on Monday, Oct. 12, with the winner advancing to play at Sandpoint on Wednesday, Oct. 14 for a berth to state. The loser goes to a state play-in game Saturday, Oct. 17 in Lewiston.

In the Intermountain League, Timberlake’s boys and girls have clinched the No. 1 seeds to the 3A District 1-2 tournaments. Play in each tourney begins Saturday at Lakeland’s Sunrise Rotary Fields. Timberlake’s girls won 3-0 at Kellogg on Saturday to finish 9-0-1 in league, and improve to 14-0-1 overall.

WE’LL GET into these games more later this week, but league play in 5A, 4A, 3A and 2A football for area teams begins this week.

In the 5A IEL, Lewiston (6-0) visits Coeur d’Alene (5-1), and Lake City (1-5) travels to Post Falls).

In the 4A IEL, Lakeland (0-6) travels to Sandpoint (3-3).

In the Intermountain League, Timberlake (3-2) plays host to Priest River (1-4), and Kellogg (0-5) travels to Bonners Ferry (2-3).

In the Central Idaho League, St. Maries (6-0) is home vs. Grangeville (3-2).