Heady Lake City clinches league title
LOREN BENOIT/Press Lake City High School soccer players celebrate a score against Coeur d’Alene in the second half of Tuesday’s match at Lake City.
Lake City's Maddy Lasher and Coeur d'Alene's Tate Hochberger, right, battle for the soccer ball at midfield during Tuesday's match at Lake City. (LOREN BENOIT/Press)
COEUR d’ALENE — In wrapping up the 5A Inland Empire League championship with a 5-0 victory over visiting Coeur d’Alene on Tuesday night, the Lake City Timberwolves scored four of their five goals on headers — including all three by Washington State commit Bridget Rieken.
“That means they executed exactly what we’ve been working on in training,” Lake City coach Matt Ruchti said. “We felt we had advantages with certain types of services; we can be pretty dominant out of the air.”
Playing under the lights on the Lake City High football field, the game was scoreless before Maddy Smith’s goal in the 30th minute. Lake City (10-2, 5-0) scored four more goals in the next 29 minutes — two of those assisted by Chloe Teets.
“It started out a typical Lake City-Coeur d’Alene game, and after we got the first goal you could feel the momentum switch in our favor,” Ruchti said. “We won out of the air, we were winning in transition, and we had great services from players — it’s been a long time since we’ve scored four goals off of headers.”
Coeur d’Alene (6-5-1, 3-2), which played Moscow to a scoreless tie on Monday, plays host to Lewiston on Saturday. Lake City wraps up its regular season Saturday at Post Falls.
First half — 1, LC, Maddy Smith (Lily Tweedy), 30:00. 2, LC, Bridget Rieken (Chloe Teets), 34:00. Second half — 3, LC, Maddy Lasher (Kali McKellips), 45:00. 4, LC, Rieken (Sydney Harbison), 57:00. 5, LC, Rieken (Teets), 59:00.
Shots on goal — Cd’A 6, LC 16.
Saves — Cd’A, Lily Foster 10; LC, Marlee Lambert 3; Hailey Jo Parks 1.
Cd’A Charter 4
Lakeland 0
RATHDRUM — Four different players had goals for the 3A Panthers in a win over the 4A Hawks at Sunrise Rotary Field.
“I was pleased with the possession we maintained throughout the game,” Coeur d’Alene Charter coach Stacy Smith said. “We’re struggling a little still in our final third when we have tougher competition with our on-goal opportunities, but we were able to find the back of the net twice today in our run of play, which made me happy. Lakeland has some speed and physical players, which forced us to play faster. I’m glad we were able to adjust.”
Coeur d’Alene Charter (12-0) faces Bonners Ferry on Thursday at Community United Methodist Church Field starting at 4 p.m.
Lakeland (1-7-1) travels to Sandpoint on Thursday at 4:30 p.m.
First half — 1, CdAC, Kiley Cutler (Cali Shipman), 19:00. 2, CdAC, Sandy Faulkner (unassisted), 39:00. Second half — 3, CdAC, Sarah Hines (unassisted), 58:00. 4, CdAC, Eliason Cherrstrom (penalty kick), 79:00.
Shots on goal — Charter 23, LL 1.
Saves — CdAC, Mercedes Zepeda 1; LL, unknown, 16.
Lewiston 3
Post Falls 1
LEWISTON — The visiting Trojans dropped to 3-8-1, 0-4-1 5A IEL with the loss to the Bengals.
No other information was reported.