By JAMES CORDES
Express Correspondent
It was a busy weekend for the Wood River High School varsity soccer teams and a successful one at that. Only one lone goal was allowed by either of the Wolverine squads in four home victories—two wins by the girls and two by the boys.
Ranked second in 4A state polls behind Century, the Hailey girls (6-1-2, 2-0 league) traveled to Jerome Friday and won 3-0. The Wolverines hosted Blackfoot Saturday and breezed 13-1 over a Bronco squad that used to be a Hailey nemesis.
Meanwhile, the Wolverine boys (4-3-1, 2-0 league) enjoyed a nice two-game homestand. They took care of Jerome 5-0 Friday and, amid a torrential downpour, blanked Blackfoot 3-0 Saturday. It made for a three-game winning streak and no goals allowed in that stretch.
Driscoll on fire for girls
Senior forward Margii Driscoll continued her dominance on the field this past weekend, amassing eight goals---including six Saturday—to help lead the Woverines to their fifth and sixth wins of 2005.
Driscoll's six goals in the 13-1 rout of Blackfoot was a single-game school record, eclipsing a pair of five-goal efforts by all-time school scoring leader Kristi Toussaint in 1998. Driscoll (59 goals) also moved into a tie with Robin Kearns for second place on the all-time Wolverine career scoring list.
Rather than individual records, the Wood River coaching staff was focused more on improved team play.
"We played much better on Saturday than on Friday," second-year head coach Greg Gvozdas said. "Our warm-up was better and we were more focused."
Coming off of Wednesday's emotionally-draining 3-2 home loss to #1-ranked Century of Pocatello, Wood River scored only one first-half goal in its game against Jerome (0-4, 0-2) Friday. Hailey has never lost a girls' soccer game to Jerome, and hasn't allowed a goal.
"That game was very quick and intense (against Century). Our legs were just tired on Friday night," Gvozdas said.
But Driscoll, who has scored at least one goal in 23 of the last 28 Wood River games, collected her second goal of the contest and freshman wing Aimee Evans buried a penalty kick to give Wood River the much-needed 3-0 league victory.
On Saturday, Blackfoot was at the mercy of the Wood River's offensive frustrations from the night before.
Seven different Wolverines found the back of the net in the 13-1 onslaught, including three freshmen. It was the first meeting of the two schools since Wood River's 2-1 win in 1999. Prior to that, former power Blackfoot had won seven meetings.
Driscoll scored Wood River's first five goals, then settled back on defense. Freshman forward Sam Johnson scored the second half's first goal in the fifth minute. After Driscoll's sixth goal, Evans added another highlight to her weekend, beating the Blackfoot goalie after a nice right-side run, 7-1 Wood River.
Junior Ellen Ard and freshman Elsa Sweek accounted for singles, Ard's on a brilliant through ball from senior captain Nicole Schulz.
Also in the mix were sophomore Kendra Olson, contributing two well-placed goals from 20-out late in the game, and junior Kacie Femling, Wood River's steady left back, adding a nice right-side breakaway goal.
Three straight for boys
Junior forward Carl Jablonski and senior midfielder Spencer Flade took control in the first half of Friday's home game against Jerome. They had a combined three goals and two assists in the game's first 40 minutes.
Jablonski opened up scoring in the seventh minute for the Wolverines, with a Flade assist. Four minutes later, the roles were reversed as Flade found the back of the net on a pass from Jablonski. Then Jablonski scored his second in the 39th minute on a perfectly-placed free kick.
"Our offense played well," second-year Hailey head coach Farrell Swain said about the 5-0 victory. "We took advantage of Jerome's weaknesses on defense and attacked them well."
Not all things went well in Friday night's first half for the home team, as senior captain Spencer Cordovano was awarded a red card for misconduct with a Jerome player.
Wood River shrugged off the man-down situation, finishing the second half with two more goals. Senior defender Garrett Leo scored in the first five minutes, from an assist by Flade. Junior midfielder Travis Amick also got in on the scoring late in the second half.
Saturday's home match-up against Blackfoot was far less hospitable. Handling Blackfoot's off-side trap was the least of the home team's concerns. A steady and heavy rain poured onto the field. Swain described it as some of the worst playing conditions she has ever seen.
"It was terrible weather, but we were ready to go and we used our game of playing to the corner flag and servicing it across very well." Swain said about the 3-0 triumph.
Amick picked up where he left off in Friday's game with the first two goals against Blackfoot. Flade and Jablonski added the assists, as the Wolverines went into half up 2-0.
With the rain still falling, Wood River continued its offensive pressure on Blackfoot. Senior captain Bryce Newcomb got in on the weekend scoring with a goal off an assist from sophomore Axel Peterson.
Margii Driscoll cuts past a Blackfoot defender Saturday. She scored a school-record six goals in the 13-1 rout. Photo by Willy Cook
