Top-ranked Hailey boys take show on the road
Beat Century 3-1 to go 5-0-1
Although they?re currently ranked #1 in the Idahosports.com 4A boys? soccer poll, the Wood River High School Wolverines still have plenty of work to do, coach Farrell Swain said.
?We?re #1 now and hopefully will also be #1 by the end of October. But we?ll have to continue to play good defense and make the most of our opportunities,? she said.
Having played five of its first six games at home, Wood River (5-0-1, 2-0 league) will also have to win on the road, which can be tough in soccer.
They got their chance this week.
Wood River, having won five consecutive games by a 24-4 margin, visited Pocatello Tuesday and will play a very big district game at Burley Thursday, Sept. 23. The Wolverines beat Pocatello 7-1 at home Sept. 7, but they?ve yet to play Burley.
Burley, considered Wood River?s top rival for the automatic State 4A berth that goes with the four-team district?s championship, carried a 4-1-1 and 2-0 league record into a non-league game at 5A Twin Falls Tuesday.
The Bobcats were unbeaten in five games following a season-opening 3-1 home loss to Twin Falls. They had tied Preston 1-1, beaten Minico 4-0, nipped Century 4-3, and won 2-0 over Jerome and 5-2 over Pocatello.
Meanwhile, Wood River celebrated its first week as the state?s #1 team with a 3-1 home victory over the Century Diamondbacks Thursday. Swain said, ?We were determined to go out and show we were worthy of #1.?
But the Wolverines didn?t play their best half in the opening 40 minutes and settled for a 1-1 tie. Willie Meyers ripped a shot into the upper 90 in the 18th minute, from Byron Epp, who had two assists on the game.
?The flow went back and forth in the first half. We made one mistake and it cost us, because our defense didn?t communicate. But our defense played better in the second half and our forwards did their job,? she said.
In the 25th minute of the second half, Audie McCann broke through five Diamondback players and scored on a breakaway, after taking a pass from right back Levi Crandall.
Four minutes later Epp served up a ball that Spencer Cordovano headed into the Century net for insurance.
Century, ranked #3 in the 4A polls before the game, was no slouch?having opened the season with 7-0 and 4-0 wins over Hillcrest and Preston. The Diamondbacks lost narrowly at Burley 4-3 and at home to Highland 3-2.
