For the week of  October 31 - November 6, 2001

Hailey girls stumble, regroup at state soccer

Settle for consolation trophy

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By JODY ZARKOS
Express Sports Writer

The way things unfolded, the first day of the State 3A soccer tournament seemed more like a Monday than a Thursday for Wood River’s girls.

Despite dominating their game against Weiser, the defending state champion Wolverines (16-4-1) came out on the short end of a 2-1 score in the opening game of the State 3A tournament in Buhl Thursday.

The Third District champ Weiser Wolverines (12-3-7) scored two goals in the final six minutes for the major upset.

"We were fortunate to come out on top," Weiser coach Bruce Winegar said. "It’s one of our biggest wins of the season."

Stung by the loss, Wood River regrouped to finish fourth in the eight-team tourney, beating Bonners Ferry 5-0 Friday and Preston 5-1 Saturday for the consolation trophy.

Winning the state championship was last year’s runner-up McCall/Donnelly (17-2-2) by a 2-0 score over Weiser. McCall also beat Preston 3-2 and South Fremont 2-0 during state.

 

Tough first game

It was unseasonably warm and sunny in Buhl Thursday.

The only discernable chill in the air was directed by Wood River supporters at referee Tom Dater of Boise.

Dater, the center official, awarded Weiser a penalty kick with the score tied 1-1 and five minutes and 30 seconds left in the game. He called a flagrant foul after Weiser’s Cyndi Moore fell down in the box.

"The foul came from behind. Wood River was knocking her all the way down the field. The player was out of control," Dater said, although he could not name the Wood River player he whistled for the foul.

He also claimed that the game "was not physical at all," although he called 13 fouls in the second half, including six against Wood River.

Wood River coach Doug Stouffer remarked, "There could have been a foul there. I think the tough part is the ref had not been calling fouls early in the game and to start calling them that late is not fair. But bad breaks happen."

Sarah Huston converted the ensuing penalty kick to secure a 2-1 triumph for Weiser.

What made the result even more bitter for Wood River is that it was a game they could have and should have won.

The Wolverines had a 22-7 shot advantage over Weiser, but Wolverine goalie Keri Huston kept her team in the game with several quality saves.

After scoreless first half, misdirection and movement led to Wood River’s only goal.

Katie Dondero chipped the ball to Kipp Mills, who headed it to a slicing Jenna Schweizer to score in the 68th minute.

Roughly 10 minutes later, Weiser’s Jessica Stakkeland broke loose, beat a pushed-up defense and converted for a 1-1 tie. Then the penalty kick was awarded shortly after.

"They brought it to us, but we stepped up," Weiser coach Winegar remarked.

Wood River’s sadness was palpable after the game.

"It was a heartbreaker," said Stouffer, who felt Wood River outplayed the Weiser team.

 

Bouncing back

With an awesome display of pride and power, the Wolverines played Bonners Ferry off the field the following day.

"Some people were saying they didn’t even want to play after the Weiser game," senior co-captain Erin Elgee said. "But Stouffer talked to us about keeping our heads up and showing everyone that we were supposed to be here."

There were no disbelievers after Wood River dispatched the Badgers 5-0.

Mills slotted a long crossing shot and Robin Kearns beat the goalie on a 1-v-1 for a 2-0 lead in a half in which Wood River held a 12-0 shot advantage.

The dramatic and charismatic Dondero put her talent to work on the next two goals.

She scored the third goal of the game taking the ball down the wing and nailing a winner.

On the team’s fourth goal, a free kick, she touched the ball to Elgee and then fell down to distract the goalie. The set play (designed by assistant coach Greg Gvozdas) fooled the Badgers and worked to perfection.

Mills netted the final goal.

"I think the girls really responded," Stouffer said. "They got right back on their feet."

Saturday, Wood River scored four goals in the first half en route to a polished 5-1 win over Preston in the consolation final for fourth place.

"I think it was bittersweet," Erin Elgee remarked. "Ending with a win was good, but it wasn’t exactly where we planned on being. We played it like we would any other game, though. We went out hard."

Kearns, the team’s leading scorer, netted a hat trick against Preston to finish with 23 goals this season, 43 for her career. Mills tallied a pair of goals to finish with 15.

Stouffer remarked, "I noticed that after the first day, no other team scored more then three goals in the tournament. We scored 10. That makes a statement as well."

Despite the unexpected outcome for favored Wood River, Erin Elgee spoke for the team when she said the biggest part of her memories won’t consist of wins and losses, but of the friendships forged.

"I have played with most of these girls since the sixth grade," she said. "It’s been so great to play so long together and there is a strong friendship between everyone.

"My main memory will probably be the spaghetti feeds we had the night before each game. We would just hang out talking about who knows what."

After posting a 33-4-3 record and outscoring opponents 202-26 the past two years, Wood River will graduate nine seniors; Kipp Mills, Jenna Schweizer, Ashley Howe, Katie Dondero, Erin Elgee, Kristen Nelson, Brisa Ayub, Ashley McQueen and Mot Galpin.

"It’s going to be hard watching them graduate," Stouffer said. "I am going to miss them. But we are going to move on."

·  Wood River final stats: Overall record 16-4-1. First place in district, fourth at state. In six straight visits to state, Wood River is 18-6 with two firsts, three thirds, one fourth.

Offense: 95 goals (4.5). Defense: 21 goals (1.0). Nine shutouts.

Individual scorers: Robin Kearns 23 goals, Kipp Mills 15, Jenna Schweizer 9, Erin Elgee 8, Krista Burns 7, Katie Dondero 5, Ashley Howe 4, Charlotte Gourlay 4, Rebecca Schwartzenberger 3, Amie Thomas 3, Monique Lloyd 2, Tami Harrison 2, Erin Northrop 2, Ashley McQueen 1, Kelly Hailsey 1, Kate Elgee 1, Shellie Skahill 1, Ireland King 1, Ashley Hurley 1, Natalie Safran 1.

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The Cutthroat defense makes its case

Community School girls 
stingy at state soccer

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In its first appearance at the state soccer tournament in two years, The Community School girls finished 0-2, but it was far from a disappointing experience for Mark Kranwinkle’s youthful squad.

Kranwinkle said, "It was important to get to state and see the quality of the teams and realize that every team had a reason for being there.

"We’ll remember what happened and next time we go back we will go back to win."

Defense was particularly strong for the Cutthroats.

Ketchum/Sun Valley’s first game against previously-unbeaten South Fremont of St. Anthony was a memorable one.

The Cutthroats and Cougars dueled to a 1-1 tie Thursday during the State 3A soccer Tournament in Buhl. It was settled by penalty kicks after two scoreless overtime periods.

Ketchum/Sun Valley took control early, with crisp inspired passing and several shots on goal. The Cutthroats outshot the Cougars 14-3 in the match and were given 14 free kicks to St. Anthony’s eight.

With 13 minutes remaining, midfielder Erika Connelly bobbed and weaved on the far right and cracked the ball far left for a 1-0 lead.

Four minutes later, forward Alissa Praggastis knocked heads with a Cougar and fell to the ground. Everyone stopped playing but Cougar junior forward Tabi Quayle, who went in unchallenged for a 1-1 tie.

It was very tense during two 10-minute overtime periods.

Cutthroat defender Abby Minford made two game-saving plays when goalie Kristen Hickey was down and she cleared the ball out from behind her. Hickey also stopped an indirect free kick.

It was all Cutthroats in the second stanza. Langely McNeal and Cassidy Doucette both had three quality shots at the goal which were saved by Cougar keeper Brandi Huffman.

Still tied 1-1, the decision went to penalty kicks. Kranwinkle had been hoping against such an outcome.

"We never went to a shootout this year," he said. "We take penalty shots in practice, but we’ve never had to do it in a game."

The more experienced Cougars (13-2-2) converted three of their four shots, (Hickey made one save) to one by the Cutthroats (Jenny Rutherford) and prevailed by shootout, the final score 4-2.

"I thought Kristen did great," Kranwinkle said of his keeper. "I was proud of her."

The following day against Preston (10-7-1), Ketchum/Sun Valley surrendered just one goal in each half but were eliminated with a 2-0 loss.

Kranwinkle assessed, "We had expended so much energy and concentration (against South Fremont) it was hard to get back into it on Friday."

This fall, The Community School (10-9) scored 50 goals and allowed 50 goals.

Senior Langely McNeal had a team-best 16 goals. Erika Connelly scored 10, Morgan Arritola 5, Jenny Rutherford 4, Amy Alexander 4, Cassidy Doucette 4, Kim Brown 2, Kira Tenney 2, Abby Minford 1, Pauli Ochi 1, Elke Wiethorn 1 and Scarlett Caldwell 1.

"Our season was a huge success," Kranwinkle said. "Our main goals were to have fun, play as a team and go to state. We did all those things."

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