Post Falls boys take over first place in 5A IEL soccer

BOYS SOCCER

POST FALLS — With a 1-0 lead at the half, Post Falls coach Gabe Lawson stressed the importance of generating an attack to close out the match.

That message was received.

Diego Esquivel scored two goals and assisted on another and Cadin Perry had a goal and two assists for the Trojans in a 4-0 win over the Coeur d’Alene Vikings in 5A Inland Empire League play on Saturday at Post Falls High.

“It was all defense in the first half and all offense in the second,” Lawson said. “I put it to them at halftime about how to generate a bit of an attack. Our second-half possession was 79 percent and they rarely saw the ball and it allowed us to get numbers forward. Coeur d’Alene has a strong ’fence and eventually, we were able to break them down. Our defense has been the pinnacle of our success the last four matches, and it’s been at the heart of that.”

Post Falls (6-2, 3-1 5A IEL), which won its fourth straight, moves ahead of Coeur d’Alene (6-2, 2-1) and Lake City (4-1-1, 2-1) for the league lead with a rematch scheduled for Thursday at Coeur d’Alene High.

On Tuesday, Coeur d’Alene travels to Moscow and Post Falls visits Lewiston.

First half — 1, PF, Diego Esquivel (penalty kick), 33:00. Second half — 2, PF, Cadin Perry (Esquivel), 50:00. 3, PF, Esquivel (Perry), 67:00. 4, PF, Mckie Gregory (Perry), 75:00.

Shots on goal — Cd’A 3, PF 19.

Saves — Cd’A, Shawn McKeeken 3; PF, Tanner McCliment-Call 0.

Moscow 5

Lakeland 0

MOSCOW — Max Mortimer and Ethan Scruggs each scored twice as the host Bears blanked the Hawks in 4A IEL play.

Lakeland (3-7-0, 0-2-0 4A IEL) visits Immaculate Conception of Post Falls on Thursday.

Moscow is 3-4-1, 1-1-0.

First half — 1, Mos, Max Mortimer (Cooper Stephens), 9:00. 2, Mos, Deven Price (Jacob Helmke), 25:00. 3, Mos, Ethan Scruggs (Ari Carter), 39:00. Second half — 4, Mos, Mortimer (Stephens), 54:00. 5, Mos, Scruggs (Jack Alexander), 65:00.

Sandpoint 2

Lewiston 1

LEWISTON — A quality second-half goal from senior defender Tanner Kohal proved to be the game winner, as the Bulldogs remained undefeated on the year with a win over the Bengals at Walker Field.

Christian Dressel got the Bulldogs (9-0-1) on the board first in the 10th minute after a nice run of play was finished when Dylan Baillie lofted a ball over the top to Dressel, who put an early strike past the keeper for a 1-0 lead.

Lewiston scored the equalizer in the 26th minute on a long shot that rattled the post before landing in the goal.

Kohal, a defender who often moves into the attack whenever possible and already has five assists on the year, made his first goal of the season count in the second half after some nice combo play with forward Mac Stultz.

“The game winner came from a great individual effort from centerback Tanner Kohal slicing and dicing down the field,” described Bulldogs head coach Evan McNeley. “He passed to Mac, who in return found Tanner in behind the defense 1v1 with the goalie, tucking in neatly into the back of the net.”

Julian Reichold and Hyrum Hunsaker shared duties in goal for the Bulldogs, who host Lake City on Tuesday.

GIRLS SOCCER

Sandpoint 3

Lewiston 0

SANDPOINT — Junior Riley Walkington scored twice and assisted on another goal to lead the Bulldogs to a blanking of the Bengals in nonleague play at Pine St. Field.

Freshman goalie Hattie Larson stopped 10 shots to earn a shutout in her first varsity game at goalie, and led by the heavy pace of Walkington and Emi Lynch in the attack, Sandpoint (6-1-1) dominated the action.

“It was a great team performance. Lewiston was disciplined and physical in defense, and we made some adjustments at halftime,” described Bulldog head coach Conor Baranski. “Everybody got to go attack, it was fun to watch. Riley was extremely hungry to score. Kiley Webster was fantastic in midfield, and Yeo (Yarnell), Jezza (Hutto) and Tori Hewitt were very composed in the back.”

Sandpoint is at Lake City on Monday.

First half — 1, Spt, Riley Walkington (Emi Lynch), 20:00. Second half — 2, Spt, Walkington (Lynch), 60:00. 3, Spt, Kayla Inman (Walkington), 65:00.

Shots on goal — Spt 27, Lew 11.

Saves — Lew, Cass Williamson, 12, Spt, Hattie Larson, 10.

Moscow 2

Lakeland 0

RATHDRUM — The visiting Bears scored a pair of second-half goals to upend the Hawks in 4A Inland Empire League play at Sunrise Rotary Field.

Lakeland (3-6-1, 0-2-0 4A IEL) plays host to Sandpoint on Thursday.

Moscow is 1-1-0 in league.

First half — none. Second half — 1, Mos, 60:00. 2, Mos, 75:00.

Shots on goal — Mos 9, LL 5.

Saves — Mos 5; LL, Alicia Edelblute 7.

VOLLEYBALL

St. Maries d.

Grangeville

GRANGEVILLE — Dakotah Wilks had 19 assists and two aces for the Lumberjacks in a 25-7, 25-7, 25-9 win over the Bulldogs in a Central Idaho League match.

“The girls, they’ve got a lot of goals in mind and were able to come away with a big win,” St. Maries coach Rachele Asbury said.

Devyn Wilson had 10 kills, Kaylee Auer three blocks, Kaci Haeg seven digs and McKenna Borgman two aces for St. Maries (9-8, 1-1 CIL), which finished the day 74 of 75 on serves.

“Our passing and serving were spot on today,” Asbury said. “That’s how we were able to capitalize for the win.”

St. Maries travels to Priest River on Tuesday.

Lewiston d.

Sandpoint

SANDPOINT — Looking for a spark, Sandpoint switched some things up and had moderate success, but ultimately Lewiston had too much firepower, leading to a 25-21, 25-21, 20-25, 25-10 win for the Bengals in nonleague play at Les Rogers Court.

Having lost four straight matches, including two in league play, Sandpoint (7-10) head coach Erin Roos opted for a new lineup and offense, switching from a 6-2 to a 5-1 with Marina Breuner running the new one-setter offense.

Breuner finished with 31 assists, and Grace Hicks, who had been sharing the setting duties, added eight kills, 10 digs and three blocks, Grace Kirscher seven kills and two blocks, Shelby Kluver 13 digs and Jenny Slaveck seven kills in defeat.

“We moved Hicks to middle and Kirscher to right side. Saw a little more fight in my team,” admitted Roos. “Jaz (Stockton) and Jenny had pretty high hitting percentages, Helen Merwin passed well and we blocked better too. We’ll keep working together to get better.”

Sandpoint hosts Post Falls on Tuesday.

Clark Fork d.

Genesis Prep

POST FALLS — Ellie Kiebert had 11 kills, Tessa Sutton eight kills and Brooke Stevens 25 assists and three aces as the North Star League-leading Wampus Cats (9-2, 5-0 NSL) beat the host Jaguars 25-13, 25-19, 25-16 in league play at Post Falls Middle School.

“They just came to play. They were playing on all cylinders,” Clark Fork coach Cindy Derr said. “They went above and beyond what they’ve played yet this year.”

Bella Murekatete had 10 kills, nine digs and three blocks, Christa Imanzi two aces and Emily Martinez 12 assists for Genesis Prep (5-3, 5-2), which travels to Kootenai on Tuesday.

“Clark Fork is an unbelievable, great team,” Genesis Prep coach Mindy Buck said. “We didn’t show up tonight, and you can’t show up average against a team like Clark Fork.”

Clark Fork plays host to Genesis Prep on Thursday.