Back in their case

COEUR d’ALENE — For the first time since 2016, the 5A Region 1 boys soccer trophy will reside on the east side of U.S. 95.

Senior forward Cameron Dance scored two goals for the top-seeded Coeur d’Alene Vikings in a 2-0 win over the third-seeded Lake City Timberwolves in the regional championship game on Thursday afternoon at Coeur d’Alene High.

“We wanted to be the top seed to state,” said Dance, a four-year varsity player. “It was about far more than just a regional title. Lake City is our top rival, and we wanted to show them that we’re the better team.”

Dance has scored 22 goals this season, 15 coming in the Vikings’ last five matches.

“Cameron has been playing great for us,” second-year Coeur d’Alene coach Braden Ridgewell said. “He really gave us a spark today.”

Ridgewell, a 2014 graduate of Coeur d’Alene High, was a freshman when the Vikings beat Lake City to win the 2010 regional title.

“It’s nice to have that thing (regional championship) back in our closet,” Ridgewell said. “The feeling is just amazing. Knowing what we’ve been through with injuries, it’s so rewarding to have this be the reward for the season. Between injuries, and some not-so-favorable things early on, it’s nice to see the guys rally and play together. It showed we’re a family, and not just a team.”

Lake City had won the past two regional titles, and beat Coeur d’Alene in the state 5A consolation championship in 2018.

Coeur d’Alene (10-2-1) opens the state 5A tournament next Thursday at Eagle High against the winner of a play-in match between the District 5-6 runner-up (eastern Idaho) and Boise (18-2-0), the fifth-place team from District 3 (Boise area). Boise entered its district tournament undefeated before being upset twice, then battling back to the play-in match.

“Honestly, that was a factor coming into today’s game as well,” said Ridgewell of the possibility of playing Boise right away. “What’s our reward for winning? We get to play one of the best teams down south. But we just felt it would be more rewarding to give this game everything we had. Now, we’re given one of the best teams down south, and we’ll take them on full head.”

Lake City (8-3-3) clinched a berth to state with a 4-1 win at second-seeded Post Falls last Saturday. The Timberwolves will open at state against Borah (10-3-3) of Boise next Thursday at Eagle High.

“Today was disappointing for sure because we demonstrated in the first round of the district playoffs that we are capable of playing so much better than we did this evening,” fourth-year Lake City coach Alan Rich said. “We have no excuses. We did not play well enough, nor were we composed enough for a Coeur d’Alene team that wanted the win more than we did. Despite not playing well enough, we created enough opportunities, but couldn’t convert them. Kudos to Braden and Coeur d’Alene for winning the district and earning the top seed at state. Although tonight’s result is a setback to the great progress we have made all season, I am confident that we can shake off this loss and get back to good form before we head to state.”

Dance scored in the 14th minute, then added an insurance goal in the 72nd for Coeur d’Alene.

Some of my best friends are on that team,” said Dance, who played as a freshman when the Vikings advanced to the state 5A title game, losing to Boise at Coeur d’Alene High. “It’s not best friends when we’re playing against each other, but it’s still fun to play against each other and talk after the match.”

First half — 1, Cd’A, Cameron Dance (unassisted), 14:00. Second half — 2, Cd’A, Dance (unassisted), 72:00.

Shots on goal — LC 4, Cd’A 11.

Saves — LC, Tyler Allred 5; Cd’A, Cooper Proctor 3.