For the week of  September 19 - 25, 2001

A week to remember for Cutthroat soccer

Boys wallop Wood River 7-1, 
end long drought

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"It was a good week to be a Cutthroat," said Community School boys’ soccer coach Richard Whitelaw with pride and some understatement.

Cutthroat soph John Hayes (left) has the inside track as Wood River defender Slater Storey tries to defend him during last Wednesday’s 7-1 Cutthroat victory. Express photo by David N. Seelig

Actually it was a great week for the 2001 Community School boys (6-2 overall, 6-0 league) in their quest for respect among Idaho’s powers.

Not only did the Cutthroats shatter their 16-game winless streak against Wood River dating back to their state title season of 1992, they took total control of the nine-team Fourth District 3A title chase.

Here’s the damage:

• Hammering Wood River 7-1 on its new Sagewillow Farms field Wednesday, the Cutthroats posted the highest goal total in 42 games played between the schools since 1983.
  
  

• The Cutthroats also trimmed Bliss 5-0 at home Friday and added a 12-2 league victory at Declo Saturday.
  
  

• Whitelaw’s talented squad has now posted six straight league wins by a whopping 49-6 score.

With one eye peering ahead to a much-anticipated home game against unbeaten Twin Falls (7-0) on Sept. 26, Whitelaw said, "We’re focused on playing one game at a time."

The one game the Cutthroats needed to win was the grudge match against Wood River—and they put it away early with explosive scoring.

Withstanding an early surge by the upset-minded Wolverines, the host Cutthroats got on the board when top scorer Josh Stanek (13 goals in eight games) drilled the first of his three goals at 13 minutes.

Sophomore John Hayes cracked open the floodgates with a long cross that found the top right-hand corner at 20 minutes, then Hayes headed home a Nic Hanscom cross for a 3-0 lead. Stanek’s volley made it 4-0, the third Cutthroat goal in four minutes.

It was a barrage, and the rout was on. The Cutthroats outshot Wood River 12-2 in the first 25 minutes.

"We started to penetrate and dominate," said Whitelaw. "We got a couple of quick goals and took the game out of Wood River."

Stanek completed his hat trick early in the second half. Junior Sean Higgins wiggled through the Wolverine defense and put home his own rebound for a 6-0 cushion.

Wood River, which hasn’t been blanked by the Cutthroats since 1992, saved face when Chase Cleveland converted a Tate Mills cross. Cutthroat keeper Drew Detwiler made the save of the game, fisting a 40-yard Ryan Skahill free kick safely over the net. Josh Sonneland then finished the scoring after a testing Stanek shot.

"Man of the Match" was stopper Zac Brown, showing courage after suffering an ankle injury at Buhl. Also, senior Quinn Orb made his 50th varsity start, an remarkable total for the reliable sweeper.

Friday, the Cutthroats breezed 5-0 at home over Bliss. Sonneland scored twice, one a penalty kick, and Stanek added a goal. "Man of the Match" Josh Kantor also scored in the first half. Ahead 4-0 at half, the Cutthroats went to their junior varsity and Chadd Montgomery tallied the final goal.

A big league game at once-beaten Declo (6-2) Saturday developed into a 12-2 Cutthroat thrashing. Stanek and Higgins scored three goals apiece and Hanscom chipped in with a pair. The lead was 5-1 at intermission.

Adding single goals were Hayes, Sonneland, Drew Stoecklein (PK) and Ethan Weston (PK). "Man of the Match" was Weston, impressive at center midfield after Chris Cook cut his forehead and needed 16 stitches.

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