Hailey boys
save
best for last
Step up, place
second at state
By JEFF
CORDES
Express Staff Writer
The
strengths of the Wood River High School boys’ soccer program under
coach Brian Daluiso have been passing, defense and a remarkable ability
to step up and save its best efforts for the most pressure-packed
situations.
Wood
River, saving its best for last, played its best games of the 2002
season last weekend during the State 3A soccer tournament in snowy and
icy Pocatello. And once again a Wood River boys’ team played in the
state championship.
Defense
wins championships, and Wood River’s defense came very close to a
title—exemplified by the hustle and goalmouth scrambling of, from
left, Mike Sinnott, keeper K.C. Rivera, Kyle Risner and Tate Mills. Express
photo by David N. Seelig
Beating
Shelley 3-2 in overtime Thursday and stuffing previously-unbeaten Snake
River 2-0 in Friday’s semi-final, Wood River (14-4-3) earned a berth
in its fifth consecutive state championship contest, against Payette.
Wood
River lost badly to Payette 6-1 in last year’s state championship at
Buhl. This year, the Wolverines pushed the speedy Pirates (18-3, 81-21
goals-against) to the limit before falling 2-1 in the final.
Daluiso
said, "It was heartbreaking, especially after being up 1-0. To play
like we did, especially against a team like Payette, showed me
something. No one could have asked for a more hard-fought game.
"The
guys were really pumped up. My whole thing is to aim for the state
tournament. All season I keep hammering away at them about state. So
many of our guys had their best games in last weekend’s three-day
period."
The
outstanding player of the championship game for Wood River was senior
sweeper Kyle Risner, who teamed up with senior back Mike Sinnott to turn
away counterattack after counterattack by Payette.
"Kyle
played great. Matt Hansen and Mike played well, too," said Daluiso
about his primary defenders.
Daluiso
was impressed with the way Wood River withstood an early flurry by
Payette and took control of the game from the middle of the first half,
through the middle of the second half. Indeed, the Wolverines led 1-0.
"I
was worried right at the start of the game. We were hunkering down and
getting shelled by Payette," said Daluiso. "That changed once
we started playing our game and working the ball around."
Vanquished
Snake River coach Jim Wilcox had praised Wood River for "passing us
to death," in Friday’s semi-final. That’s what happened when
the Wolverines organized their offense against Payette.
It got
the go-ahead goal.
Junior
Chase Cleveland, hustling very hard in the midfield, started the attack
with a lead pass down the left wing to another junior, Tate Mills. Both
Mills and speedy right wing Slater Storey applied a ton of pressure on
their state tournament foes all weekend.
Mills
earned a corner kick, which he dropped into a hole in Payette’s
defense right in front of senior goalkeeper Ronnie Rhinehardt. Cleveland
alertly filled the hole, catching the ball just as it hit the ground and
one-timing it into the net at 38 minutes.
The goal
further energized Wood River’s defense. But Payette, with its 10
seniors, had a dream of back-to-back state championships and picked up
its already-fast pace.
Sixteen
minutes into the second half Payette senior defender Chris Cabrera sent
a lead pass up the left wing to Victor Cisneros, who beat the Wood River
defense and keeper K.C. Rivera for a 1-1 game.
From then
on, Payette’s increased offensive pressure made it just a matter of
time. "Foul after foul—we gave away too many corner kicks. It was
almost inevitable," said Daluiso, who was hoping Wood River to get
it into overtime.
With
three minutes left in regulation, rangy Pirate midfielder Shane Thomason
slipped away from Wood River’s defense in the goal area and he headed
home a Cisneros corner kick for the eventual game winner.
"That
corner kick was perfectly placed," said Daluiso. "We knew
Payette would be strong at the end. We needed a break to regroup—I
wish I could have called a time out."
Judging
by a 2-2 tie against Snake River Sept. 19 and last year’s 2-1 state
semi-final victory over the Panthers, Daluiso expected more of a
physical game in Friday’s semi-final.
"But
we owned Snake River. We controlled the middle of the field. They played
kick-and-run, but didn’t have much in the way of offense. It was still
a tough game, but we were able to move the ball around and move it
outside," Daluiso said.
Jorge
Giribet-Canto and Shane Cordeau scored in Wood River’s 2-0 win.
Daluiso said, "Their left back couldn’t handle Slater (Storey).
It was standard Wood River—we missed a lot of opportunities."
Thursday
was "survival day," for Wood River, because of the snow and
cold and because Shelley turned out to be a tougher-than-expected test,
according to Daluiso.
A Chase
Cleveland centering pass was redirected by Giribet-Canto into the Russet
net for a 1-0 Hailey lead at 10 minutes. Shelley’s Ismael Vega
equalized at 23 minutes, then Bracken Abrams took a Freddy Galvan pass
for a 2-1 Russet lead just three minutes after the half.
Wood
River had a bunch of chances, but it wasn’t until Cleveland pounded a
clutch winner past keeper Julian Milano at 38 minutes that the
Wolverines forced an overtime.
Keeper
Luke Speer made a couple of solid saves. The Wolverines scored the game
winner near the end of the first 10-minute overtime. The play went from
K.C. Rivera to Tate Mills and then to top scorer Maicol Corrales, who
finished.
Having
dodged a bullet, Wood River marched on.
"I
couldn’t be more pleased with my team. We peaked at the end and left
it all on the field. It was another great season," said Daluiso.
The team
banquet is next Monday at Rico’s in Ketchum.
· Wood
River (80 goals for/28 against)—Maicol Corrales 20, Jorge Giribet-Canto
18, Brandon Epp 11, Tate Mills 7, Chase Cleveland 6, Shane Cordeau 6,
Marcus Acker 5, K.C. Rivera 3, Mike Sinnott 2, Robert Slough 1.
WOLVERINE
NOTES—Daluiso’s six-year coaching record is 77-21-10 including
14-5-2 at six state tournaments…Theresa Comber, mother of keeper Luke
Speer, played the squeaky wheel and called the Bannock County
Commissioners office Thursday to make sure the snowy field would be
swept in time for Friday’s games….Payette and Wood River had
contrasting styles, Daluiso said. "We try to work it up the middle,
and they use their speed to get it up the field."