Business finished
JASON ELLIOTT/Press Timberlake forward Erica Vanderhoof attempts to clear the ball past Coeur d’Alene Charter defender Marissa Hagerty during the first half of Thursday’s 3A District 1-2 girls championship match at Sunrise Rotary Soccer Fields in Rathdrum.
JASON ELLIOTT/Press Coeur d’Alene Charter midfielder Sandy Faulkner, middle, congratulates Sarah Hines after a first-half goal in the 3A District 1-2 girls soccer championship game at Sunrise Rotary Fields in Rathdrum.
RATHDRUM — Their place at state already secured coming in, the Coeur d’Alene Charter Academy Panthers still had some unfinished business to attend to on a Thursday afternoon at Sunrise Rotary Fields that turned increasingly cold, windy, rainy and dark.
The Panthers dominated the first half with four unanswered goals, and cruised to a 7-2 victory over the Timberlake Tigers in the championship game of the 3A District 1-2 girls soccer tournament.
“This is the first year we’ve won league and districts, and we’re hoping to take home a third trophy also (for a state title),” said Coeur d’Alene Charter junior midfielder Elizabeth Lehosit, who had two goals and an assist. “It’s a huge deal for us, and we had some stuff to prove to ourselves, and to Timberlake also.”
Both teams advance to state next Thursday through Saturday at Vallivue High in Caldwell. Coeur d’Alene Charter (14-0-1), the defending state champion, opens Thursday at 10 a.m. PDT vs. the winner of a Saturday play-in game. Timberlake (12-4-1) opens Thursday at 1 p.m. PDT vs. Weiser (15-1-1).
Charter won 6-2 at Timberlake in the teams’ first meeting Aug. 22. The teams tied at 1 three weeks later in Coeur d’Alene.
“We knew we had some unfinished business from the last time we played them,” second-year Coeur d’Alene Charter coach Stacy Smith said. “We had a lot of opportunities on goal, but couldn’t finish, couldn’t finish, and tied the game. For us, it was trying to finish something we didn’t the previous time we played.”
Freshman Sarah Hines opened the scoring with a blast from the left angle that bounced off the keeper’s hands and into the goal. Emma Bartlett scored in a crowd off a corner kick six minutes later. Lehosit scored twice in the final five minutes of the first half for a 4-0 halftime lead.
“We wanted to come out strong; we wanted to come out fast,” Lehosit said of the first half. “And we play for our seniors. We want to give them as many games as possible.”
“Her work rate today was the best I’ve seen all season,” Smith said of Lehosit. “She played with some passion, and when a teammate plays with passion it brings others along with her.”
Charter scored the first three goals of the second half — by Hines, Maddie McKinney and Eliason Cherrstrom — and led 7-0 midway through the second half.
“It made the second half so we could breathe a little and enjoy it,” Smith said. “Sometimes you forget to enjoy it when it’s such high pressure.”
It was the fourth straight year Coeur d’Alene Charter and Timberlake met in the district title match, and the second straight year Charter won.
Timberlake averted the shutout on goals by Georgina Simpson and Kaylee Dockter.
“Charter’s just a good team,” Timberlake coach Steve Michael said. “They wanted this game, and we definitely have things we need to work on, and we’ve got a few days to make some changes in how we play. But hat’s off to Charter.”
First half — 1, Charter, Sarah Hines (Cali Shipman), 27:00. 2, Charter, Emma Bartlett (unassisted), 33:00. 3, Charter, Elizabeth Lehosit (Jaclynne Lehosit), 36:00. 4, Charter, E. Lehosit (Hines), 39:00. Second half — 5, Charter, Hines (unassisted), 53:00. 6, Charter, Maddie MacKinney (Kiley Cutler), 57:00. 7, Charter, Eliason Cherrstrom (E. Lehosit), 62:00. 8, TL, Georgina Simpson (unassisted), 65:00. 9, TL, Kaylee Dockter (unassisted), 70:00.
Shots on goal — TL 4, Charter 12.
Saves — TL, Karissa Willis 7; Charter, Mercedes Zepeda 3.