STATE HIGH SCHOOL SOCCER TOURNAMENTS: Lake City gets tough, into title match; Coeur d'Alene, Cd'A Charter boys fall in semis

6A GIRLS

IDAHO FALLS — Not wind or rain could stop the second-seeded Lake City Timberwolves from taking another step toward the program's first state title game appearance since 2021. 

It tried. 

Lake City just got tougher. 

Junior Ava Roberts scored goals in the sixth and 72nd minute for the Timberwolves, who beat the sixth-seeded Boise Brave 2-0 in a state 6A semifinal match at Bonneville High on Friday. 

Lake City (15-3-0) will face top-seeded Timberline (17-0-2) of Boise in the championship match today at 4:30 p.m. PDT at Hillcrest High in Ammon. 

The wind was howling throughout, playing a factor early on according to Ruchti. 

"From the whistle today, we played through the weather," Ruchti said. "We chose to go into the wind in the first half, and had to defend like crazy and hoped to get more of an attack going in the second half and hope to sneak a goal in. The wind definitely played a factor, but we pride ourselves on how tough and fit we are." 

Both of Roberts' goals were unassisted. 

"She's had a great two days of work," Ruchti said. "She's been great at being patient and putting her chances away. Her work ethic is great, and she's been playing great. Our attackers made them defend all day, and when you can do that, you can find those opportunities." 

Timberline defeated Lake City 3-1 on Aug. 28 at Lake City High. Timberline defeated Middleton 4-0 in the other semifinal. 

"It’s kind of fitting the top two teams all year are playing in the finals,” Ruchti said. “I think we’re better than we were when we played them. Hopefully, we come ready to fight for a state championship tomorrow.” 

First half — 1, LC, Ava Roberts (unassisted), 6:00. Second half — 2, LC, Roberts (unassisted), 72:00. 

Shots on goal — Boise 6, LC 11. 

Saves — Boise, unknown, 9; LC, Savvy Spencer 6. 

Coeur d’Alene 3 

Highland 2

IDAHO FALLS — Mentally, the fifth-seeded Vikings got locked in when things took a turn and advanced past the eighth-seeded Rams of Pocatello in a state 6A loser-out match at Bonneville High. 

Senior Izzy Grimmett scored two goals and assisted on another for Coeur d’Alene, which led 3-1 in the 63rd minute. After Grimmett’s goal pu Coeur d’Alene up in the 63rd minute, a Coeur d’Alene player was tackled by a Highland player, resulting in a scrum and players from both teams receiving red cards, leaving the teams to play 10-on-10 in the final 17 minutes. 

“Our girls didn’t lose focus,” Coeur d’Alene coach Andy Vredenburg said. “We’ve had a few injuries this weekend, but the girls have really stepped up. I’m proud of them and we’ve got the chance to bring home a trophy tomorrow.” 

Coeur d’Alene (11-6-0) faces third-seeded Owyhee (16-4-1) of Meridian in the consolation championship match today at 9 a.m. PDT at Bonneville High. 

Highland finished 12-7-1. 

First half — 1, Cd’A, Ava Wickens (Izzy Grimmett), 11:00. 2, Boise, Alexis Vawdrey (unassisted), 34:00. Second half — 3, Cd’A, Grimmett (unassisted), 42:00. 4, Cd’A, Grimmett (Audrey Linder), 63:00. 5, Boise, Kennedy Hunt (unassisted), 67:00. 

Shots on goal — Cd’A 13, Boise 8. 

Saves — Cd’A, Maddie Olivier 6; Boise, Juniper Holmquist 6. 

• 6A BOYS

Timberline 1 

Coeur d’Alene 0 (OT) 

AMMON — Sometimes, you can do everything right and still come up short. 

Friday was that day for the top-seeded Vikings. 

Senior Rhys Ford scored in the 86th minute for the fourth-seeded Wolves of Boise in an upset of the top-seeded Vikings in a state 6A semifinal match at Hillcrest High. 

“The weather really took both teams out of their normal style of play,” said Coeur d’Alene coach Robbie Harmelink of the match, which was played in a downpour of rain. “I’m proud of how the boys battled today. It was the coldest and wettest game I’ve been a part of. But I’m proud of the commitment that the boys made. They put in a great fight, but things just didn’t go our way.” 

Coeur d’Alene was bidding for its first appearance in the title game since 2016. 

Coeur d’Alene (14-1-1) faces Boise (14-4-1) in the third-place match today at 11:30 a.m. PDT at Hillcrest High. 

“It’s a great opportunity,” Harmelink said. “It’s been four years since we’ve brought back some hardware from state. We were fifth then, so we’re shooting for something better tomorrow.” 

Timberline (11-6-4) fell to Coeur d’Alene 3-1 on Aug. 28 at Viking Field. 

“The elements today made both of us play a little differently,” Harmelink said. “It was night and day and we couldn’t play to the fullest of our ability. But we adapted well and didn’t shy away from the challenge.” 

First half — none. Second half — none. Overtime — 1, TL, Rhys Ford (unassisted), 86:00. 

Shots on goal — TL 3, Cd’A 4. 

Saves — TL, Logan Kane 3, Simon Lloyd 1; Cd’A, Grant Johnson 2. 

• 4A BOYS

Sugar-Salem 2 

Cd’A Charter 1 (OT) 

BURLEY — The third-seeded Panthers had their hopes for a third-straight trip to the championship match come to an end in an overtime loss to the second-seeded Diggers of Sugar City at Burley High. 

Creighton Lehosit scored in the first half off an assist from Jesper Giaever for Coeur d’Alene Charter, which claimed the 2025 4A title at Middleton High and was runner-up in 2024 at The Fields in Post Falls. 

Coeur d’Alene Charter (15-3-1) faces fourth-seeded Sun Valley Community School (16-3-0) in the third-place match today at 11:30 a.m. PDT at Burley High. 

First half — 1, Charter, Creighton Lehosit (Jesper Giaever). 2, SS, unknown. Second half — none. Overtime — 3, SS, unknown.  

Shots on goal — not reported. 

Saves — not reported. 

• 4A GIRLS

Kimberly 2 

Timberlake 0 

TWIN FALLS — The seventh-seeded Tigers fell to the third-seeded Bulldogs in a loser-out match in the state 4A tournament at Twin Falls High. 

Timberlake finished 15-4-2. 

Kimberly (18-1-1) advances to face fifth-seeded McCall-Donnelly (15-3-1) in the consolation championship match today at Twin Falls High. 

    Photo by SHELLY JOHNSON Coeur d'Alene senior Payson Shaw beats a Timberline defender during their state 6A soccer semifinal match at Hillcrest High in Ammon. Also pictured are Coeur d'Alene's Braden Smith (22) and Brett Johnson (7).