4A REGION 1 GIRLS SOCCER CHAMPIONSHIP: Bulldog girls down Hawks in championship; punch ticket to state soccer
SANDPOINT — Thanks in part to two goals, the Bulldog girls cleared the first hurdle in their quest for a state three-peat, punching their ticket to state with a 2-1 win over the Lakeland Hawks in the 4A Region 1 championship game on Wednesday at Pine St. Park.
The No. 1 seed Bulldogs (7-5-3) got on the board first when Riley Couch, bent a soft ball in front of the net where Madi Schoening went airborne to head in the goal.
The two senior defenders have started on the past two state title teams, and finally connected on a set piece after years of near misses.
“We’ve been practicing these and trying to get one all these years,” said Couch, as both players like to move up into the attack for set pieces. “We finally got one.”
Schoening, who recently returned from injury, has bolstered the Bulldogs lately with her defensive presence. The basketball standout used her jumping ability to get in on some offense as well, banging in a strong header for the early lead.
“The sun was in my eyes,” described Schoening of the goal. “I just threw my head at it. It was a surprise.”
Sandpoint would add an important insurance goal early in the second half, when Hadley Marshall took a pass at the top of the box, passed up a shot attempt and slid a perfect extra pass to a cutting Riley Walkington on her right, who promptly struck a ball past the Lakeland keeper for a 2-0 lead.
The Bulldogs were first to a lot of ball with hustle, and the back four of Schoening, Couch, Jezza Hutto and Taylor Ward was cohesive and limited the Hawks to few quality looks. Head coach Conor Baranski was pleased with his team’s sharp offensive execution.
“Both of our goals were very nice. We’ve been working on corner kicks, and the build up to that second goal was great,” said Baranski, who likes Lakeland’s chance of also making state. “I think Lakeland is going to make it, and they’ll do all right. Both of our teams are strong.”
No. 2 seed Lakeland picked up the intensity in the last 10 minutes, as Sofia Schnepf banged in a goal in the 75th minute to cut the lead in half, and the Hawks proceeded to mount a late comeback, earning a corner kick and nearly scoring the equalizer late.
Lakeland coach Mario Maddy feels his team has a good shot to win the play-in game against the third place team from District 3 in Grangeville on Saturday, where a state berth will be on the line.
“Both teams played well. They finished their opportunities, we did not. We didn’t match their physical intensity, and when we play teams of Sandpoint’s caliber, we need to match it,” said Maddy, who didn’t rule out possibly playing the Bulldogs again at state. “I’d love to see them again. The best high school soccer in the state is played in North Idaho.”
Sandpoint will kick off state on Thursday, Oct. 22 in Caldwell, seeking their third consecutive 4A state title.
First half — 1, Spt, Madi Schoening (Riley Couch), 29:00. Second half — 2, Spt, Riley Walkington (Hadley Marshall), 51:00. 3, LL, Sofia Schnepf (unassisted), 75:00.
Shots on goal — Spt 10, LL 7.
Saves — Spt, Paige DuMars, 3; LL, Dani Dowd and Morgan Bixenstein, 5.