Playing hard and controlling the ball with great teamwork, the unbeaten and top-ranked Wood River High School girls' varsity soccer team (16-0-1) is headed to the state soccer tournament for a 12th straight year.
Sophomore striker Sam Johnson scored two goals and set up Delaney Fox's goal with a beautiful cross pass as #1-seeded Wood River blanked #2 Burley 3-0 Monday in the championship game of the Great Basin Conference West tournament played in Hailey.
The outcome gave Wood River the Fourth District's top seed in the eight-team State 4A tournament Oct. 19-21 at Capital Soccer Complex, Meridian.
Wood River, posting its 11th shutout in 17 games, out-shot the upset-minded Bobcats 28-5 and had a 9-0 edge in corner kicks. Senior Brianna Hull-Mullins dominated the midfield with relentless pursuit. Senior co-captain Danielle Smith led the defense along with sophomore back Makayla Cappel.
"We had good energy, generated a better attack and were much more focused than last week," said Wood River head coach Greg Gvozdas. "Brianna played well and controlled the game from the midfield. And Makayla did well defending Burley's strong player (senior forward Jaymee Thurston)."
Bouncing back from a concussion, junior goalkeeper Caiti Leo (5 saves) backstopped the Wolverines. Facing attack after attack at the other end, Burley goalkeeper Brylee Whitehead (17 saves) was nearly exhausted by the end.
The powerful Wolverines captured their fourth consecutive district tournament championship and have outscored opponents 81-7 on the season, including 45-1 in league.
That one league goal surrendered by Wood River came in Thursday's 3-1 home victory over Burley and put a bit of a question mark in the mind of Wood River supporters.
Gvozdas said about last Thursday's close contest, "Burley may have caught us off-guard. They attacked us more than we've seen and forced our defense to play and mark.
"It shook us up and I think we needed that. Our midfielders needed to be sharper in their distribution. We needed to play more like a team, connect our passes and support each other. We needed to take care of our scoring chances. And the girls learned they have to adjust to the officials."
Although Wood River out-shot Burley 16-8 and had a 13-0 edge in corners Thursday, the home team was fortunate to lead 2-0 on two own goals. Sam Johnson's shot created the first goal, and Kacie Femling's lob ball got past the 'Cat keeper.
Burley celebrated when Thurston's wind-aided lob went over Hailey keeper Ellen Ard's head at 21 minutes for a tight 2-1 game. The fired-up Bobcats kept challenging Wood River in the midfield. But Kaitlin Gasenica's successful penalty kick at 55 minutes gave Wood River its final 3-1 cushion.
The Bobcats (8-10) handled Jerome 6-0 Friday to earn a return trip for the title game in Hailey. It was Burley's fifth win in six games. But Wood River was ready Monday.
Johnson (15 goals, 30 career) beat three Burley defenders and stuck the ball in the corner from 28 yards for a 1-0 lead at eight minutes. Calley Brown's pass set the rush in motion. That was the only scoring in a half that saw the return of Hailey's leading scorer Aimee Evans from a concussion.
But Wood River put together build-up after build-up that strained Burley's determined defense. The second goal, eight minutes after the half, came from a build-up from Michelle McMurdo to Johnson to Femling. Femling got it back to Johnson on the right wing. Johnson made a beautiful cross that onrushing Delaney Fox (10 goals) redirected into the net.
Senior Tara Cappel picked off a Burley clearing pass at 72 minutes and passed to Johnson. Sam slammed home her second goal for the 3-0 final.
Wood River is now 19-0 in its soccer series with Burley dating to 1996 and has outscored the Bobcats 88-6 in that span.
"Burley has improved a lot. We wish them the best getting to state," said Gvozdas. "We're real pleased with the win and are excited to play Century."
Wood River is poised to play #4-ranked defending State 4A champion Century of Pocatello (13-3) Thursday, Oct. 12 at 4:30 p.m. on the Hailey pitch for the Great Basin Championship and state seeding. Century rallied for a 3-2 overtime victory over Pocatello Saturday to earn the Fifth District tourney title.
And Burley must win two playoff games to make state.
Wood River senior midfielder Brianna Hull-Mullins (right), controlling the ball in her team?s 6-0 Great Basin West tournament win over Minico Oct. 3, played great in Monday?s title game against Burley.
