Suchoski's four goals leads St. Maries past Kellogg

RATHDRUM — The first week of October may seem a bit early for high school playoff games. And for half of an opening-round match with Kellogg, Monday seemed like it could be the only postseason game for St. Maries’ girls

Two first-half goals by Kellogg senior Taeya Sheppard gave the Wildcats a 2-1 halftime lead over the Lumberjacks in a 3A district soccer opener, and during intermission, St. Maries coach Kenny Osier pulled his team — and its 12 seniors — aside for a pep talk.

“We were just flat, flat, flat in the first half,” Osier said. “I told them, this could be their last game unless something changes.

“I asked them to give me everything that they had, and they were able to find some energy.”

St. Maries’ Bethan Suchoski tallied four goals to help the Lumberjacks advance to Thursday’s semifinal against Timberlake, scheduled for 4 p.m. at Sunrise Rotary Field in Rathdrum. The Tigers (10-4-1) defeated Bonners Ferry 6-1 in another district match on Monday.

Thursday’s other semifinal, also at 4 p.m. at Sunrise Rotary Field, will see top-seeded Coeur d’Alene Charter (16-0) begin defense of its 3A state title against Priest River. The Spartans (5-7-3) topped Grangeville 2-1 on Monday.

The winner of both Thursday semifinals advance to the district championship game on Saturday and the 3A state tournament.

St. Maries 5, Kellogg 2

Suchoski scored the first of her four goals seven minutes into Monday’s game, but Sheppard had the answer, scoring at the 15 and 22-minute marks to put the upstart Wildcats (4-8) ahead.

The Lumberjacks (8-4-2) applied the pressure immediately after intermission. In the 43rd minute, Aubree Osier sent a corner kick toward the goal, did so again after Kellogg kicked it out, and found Alena Davenport for a game-tying goal.

Four minutes later, Suchoski counter-attacked from her forward position and beat Wildcat goalkeeper Shea Curran to put St. Maries ahead for good, 3-2. Suchoski clinched the win with two goals late in the second half.

“I give Kellogg credit — they were much more aggressive today than the previous times we played them,” coach Osier said.

Curran — who recently took on placekicking duties for the Kellogg football team — had 11 saves for the Wildcats, while Jenna Holder had nine saves for St. Maries.

First half — 1. SM, Bethan Suchoski (unassisted), 7:00. 2. Kell, Taeya Sheppard (unassisted), 15:00. 3. Kell, Sheppard (unassisted), 22:00.

Second half — 4. SM, Alena Davenport (Aubree Osier) 43:00. 5. SM, Suchoski (unassisted), 47:00. 6. SM, Suchoski (unassisted), 74:00. 7. SM, Suchoski (unassisted), 76:00.

Shots on goal — Kell 11, SM 16.

Saves — Kell, Shea Curran 11; SM, Jenna Holder 9.

Timberlake 6, Bonners Ferry 1

Tigers sophomore Kayli Lynn scored four straight goals to help second-seeded Timberlake cruise past seventh-seeded Bonners Ferry in Monday’s final district game.

“She was on fire,” Timberlake coach Steve Michael said of Lynn. “She just came back from an injury — she was out the past few weeks. We put some connecting passes together up front and she was able to convert.”

Timberlake senior Ashley Neuberger opened the scoring with a goal in the game’s 10th minute, then Lynn’s scoring spree began, with two unassisted goals before and after intermission. Ragan West scored the Tigers’ final goal off Mackenzie Wells’ assist.

Makayla Mierke had a second-half goal for Bonners Ferry, while goalkeeper Emily Sanchez had seven saves for the Badgers.

First half — 1. TL, Ashley Neuberger (unassisted), 10:00. 2. TL, Kayli Lynn (unassisted), 15:00. 3. TL, Kayli Lynn (unassisted), 18:00.

Second half — 4. TL, Kayli Lynn (unassisted), 45:00. 5. TL, Kayli Lynn (unassisted), 55:00. 6. BF, Makayla Mierke (unassisted), 63:00. 7. TL, Ragan West (Mackenzie Wells), 68:00.

Shots on goal — BF 3, TL 12.

Saves — BF, Emily Sanchez 7; TL, Karissa Willis 2.

Priest River 2, Grangeville 1

Goals from Keona Brown and Karah Fink, along with solid goalkeeping from Makia Fitzmorris, helped the Spartans win their 3A district opener on Monday afternoon at Sunrise Rotary Field.

“We came out hard in the first half, and we played stronger than they did in the middle,” Priest River coach Rachel Davis said. “Our spacing was good and we got off to a great start.”

4A District Girls Soccer

Moscow 4, Lakeland 1

MOSCOW — A late goal was not enough for the Lakeland girls soccer team, as the host Bears won 4-1 in a 4A loser-out district matchup on Monday.

Lakeland (2-10-1) averted a shutout when Jaidyn Kline found the back of the net in the game’s 83rd minute, assisted by Sammi Pennick.

The Bears travel to Sandpoint on Wednesday for the district title game.

Lakeland 0 1 —1

Moscow 1 3 —4

Moscow — Serena Strawn (Hannah Broyles), 32nd.

Moscow — Broyles (Megan Jung), 49th.

Moscow — Ava Jakich-Kunze, 54th.

Moscow — Terra Sullivan, 74th.

Lakeland — Jaidyn Kline (Sammi Pennick), 83rd.

Shots — Lakeland 2, Pullman 14.

Saves — Lakeland: Pennick 7, Alex Cunningham 2. Moscow: Chloe Baker 1.