5A REGION 1 GIRLS SOCCER CHAMPIONSHIP: Good day, Lake City

By JASON ELLIOTT

Sports writer

COEUR d’ALENE — To beat a defending champion, either in the regular season or — now — the postseason, it’s going to take something spectacular.

On Tuesday, the spectacular came from the team out to protect home field and that state 5A title.

Seniors Delaney Moczan and Elliotte Kortus scored two goals each, and senior Georgia Whitehead had a goal and two assists for the top-seeded Lake City Timberwolves in a 5-1 win over the second-seeded Coeur d’Alene Vikings in the 5A Region 1 girls soccer championship at the Irma Anderl Soccer Complex.

“It’s pretty surreal for us,” Whitehead said. “We knew that every team we went up against this year was going to play us hard because of last season. We knew we weren't going to get anything because we won the state title last year, and it was hard. There’s always emotions in this game against Coeur d’Alene because they’re our rivals. But I was proud of this team for grinding this game out and showing we can do this again.”

Lake City (15-0-0) is the top seed to next week’s state tournament at Bonneville High in Idaho Falls. The Timberwolves will face the eighth seed, which is still to be determined, next Thursday at 2 p.m. PDT.

“I think we just need to play our hearts out and play for each other,” Lake City senior midfielder MacKenzie Goings said. “Two years in a row would be amazing, but we need to put in that work and continue to work as a team.”

Lake City won its third state title since 2012 last season.

“It’s an experienced group,” Ruchti said. “Take nothing away from Coeur d’Alene. They battled and had a game plan today. I think against our group, you kind of hope to catch them on a bad day, and today wasn’t a bad day for us.”

Moczan, a midfielder, transferred from the Las Vegas area before the start of the season.

“It’s been easy to adjust to these players,” Moczan said. “Everyone has been so welcoming and kind. The coaching is amazing and I felt like I fit right in from the moment I stepped on the field.”

“I thought our girls played well,” Ruchti said. “The first thing we talked about was having fun and the seniors were going to enjoy their final game on this field. We scored great goals and competed in each moment and were great in every phase of the game.”

Kortus and Whitehead have verbally committed to Washington State. Moczan is still weighing her college options.

“I’ve coached a lot of great players, but never those kinds of players all at once,” Ruchti said. “And it’s easy to roll the ball out and tell them to go do it. But what they’ve done in the last few weeks is centered around being unselfish in the final third of the field. When they do that, they’re going to score goals and have opportunities and treat the assist just like the goal. And when they do that, it’s fun to watch.”

It’s Lake City’s 10th straight regional title dating back to 2013. The Timberwolves were regional runners-up in 2012, but battled back to win the state title that year, beating Post Falls at Coeur d’Alene High.

“We enjoy coaching awesome kids and watching them develop as players,” Ruchti said. “We always talk that the program is about way more than just soccer and make sure we’re good community members and make sure it’s enjoyable for everyone when they come to practice.”

Whitehead scored in the 11th minute, followed by a goal by Moczan in the 12th. Kortus scored on an assist by senior Reagan Cherry to make it 3-0 in the 33rd minute.

“We talked about if we could get one, we’d go right after them to get another,” Ruchti said. “If you can do that, we’re an intimidating bunch. And if you think you’re going to score two, three, four goals against us, that’s just not going to happen. We knew that if we could keep the pedal down and keep pushing, we’re going to get more opportunities. Give them credit. Andy (Vredenburg, Coeur d'Alene coach) did a great job and that team kept fighting until the finish. They just caught us on a really good day.”

Coeur d’Alene scored on an own goal in the 42nd minute.

“I’m super proud of my girls,” Vredenburg said. “We had some injury issues that we had to deal with early on in the match. Hats off to Lake City. That’s a really good team, and I’m really proud of my girls for how they came out and competed in the second half. “That front three is the best in the state. The best you can do is shut them down. For the most part, I thought we did a good job of that today.”

Coeur d’Alene (6-10-1) faces Centennial (11-4-3), the fifth-place finisher from District 3, in a state play-in match on Saturday at 3 p.m. at Walker Field in Lewiston.

“We’re still in this and we’re still focused,” Vredenburg said. “We’re going to get ready for Saturday.”

First half — 1, LC, Georgia Whitehead (Elliotte Kortus), 11:00. 2, LC, Delaney Moczan (Whitehead), 12:00. 3, LC, Kortus (Reagan Cherry), 33:00. Second half — 4, Cd’A, own goal, 42:00. 5, LC, Moczan (Whitehead), 63:00. 6, LC, Kortus (Cherry), 74:00.

Shots on goal — Cd’A 2, LC 15.

Saves — Cd’A, Jay Ziegler 10; LC, Acaja Scott 2.