Turning back the clock on an outstanding 2006 prep soccer campaign, the Wood River High School girls' varsity and junior varsity teams held their season-ending banquet Wednesday at Rico's in Ketchum.
Wood River (11 shutouts) won its fourth consecutive district tournament championship, compiled a 9-1-1 home record and outscored opponents 86-18 this fall. The team's 17 victories equaled the school record held by the 2000 and 2004 squads.
Head coach Greg Gvozdas announced that the Wolverines (17-3-1) also did very well when the four-school Great Basin Conference West gathered in Twin Falls Monday to determine its All-Conference teams.
Wood River senior midfielder Brianna Hull-Mullins earned the distinction of "Conference Player of the Year." Hull-Mullins scored 11 goals, third highest on the team, while dominating the midfield and setting the offense in motion. She had 19 goals in her three varsity seasons.
Great Basin first-team selections from league champ Wood River were seniors Danielle Smith and Kaitlin Gasenica along with sophomores Sam Johnson and Aimee Evans.
Making second team were senior Calley Brown, juniors Caiti Leo and Michelle McMurdo, and sophomores Laura Elgee and Delaney Fox.
Honorable mention Great Basin West picks were seniors Ellen Ard, Tara Cappel and Kacie Femling, junior Hannah Fuller, sophomores Elsa Sweek and Makayla Cappel.
In his comments Gvozdas reviewed a season during which Wood River blazed out to a 16-0-1 mark before losing its first game, 1-0 to eventual repeat State 4A champ Century of Pocatello. The Wolverines also beat eventual State 3A champion McCall-Donnelly rather handily.
The team's 1-2 record at the State 4A tournament "left us feeling a little empty," Gvozdas said. He mentioned that the coaches of the Boise-area teams that conquered Wood River at state—Bishop Kelly and Skyview—both mentioned that their teams played their best games of the year in beating the top-ranked Wolverines.
"We have built an excellent reputation here at Wood River of playing the game well and playing it the right way," said Gvozdas, who added that the Wolverines will open the 2007 season against Skyview and will also challenge Moscow next year.
Gvozdas gave soccer balls to this year's special award winners:
Top Goal Scorer was Aimee Evans (19 goals). The Defensive Award was given to Michelle McMurdo. Kaitlin Gasenica earned the Coaches Award. Makayla Cappel was Most Improved. Soccer balls for Constant Hard Work went to Brianna Hull-Mullins and Sam Johnson (15 goals).
Most Inspirational was defender Danielle Smith, senior co-captain along with Kacie Femling.
Gvozdas also paid tribute to his varsity assistant Rob Butterfield, who is leaving the valley after three years of helping with the team to pursue work opportunities in Boise.
Earning varsity letters were Smith, Hull-Mullins, Gasenica, Femling, Tara Cappel, Brown, Ard, Kallie Skahill, McMurdo, Leo, Fuller, Sweek, Johnson, Bailey Ireland, Fox, Evans, Elgee, Makayla Cappel and Aly Ward.
Gvozdas announced the Idaho High School Activities Association "Outstanding Individual Scholastic Award" winners from Wood River. Girls with grade point averages of 3.75 to 4.0 were Ellen Ard, Tara Cappel, Aimee Evans, Kaitlin Gasenica, Danielle Smith and Elsa Sweek.
Besides these high-achieving students, IHSAA "Distinguished Team Scholastic Award" winners (3.25 to 4.0) on the Wolverine girls' soccer team were Makayla Cappel, Laura Elgee, Kacie Femling, Bailey Ireland, Sam Johnson and Kallie Skahill.
Junior varsity coach Doug Stouffer gave special gifts to his 7-3-1 squad. Wood River's JV, including 15 freshmen, outscored opponents 40-14 and had a lot of fun along the way.
The JV players included Ashley Hesteness, Aly Ward, Makenzie Callaghan, Lily Jensen, Dakota Robrahn, Ivory Dilley, Erin Burbank, Sierra Brand, Devan Ellison-Annan, Lydia Gorham, Meagan Carey, Nicole Gillette, Bailey Ireland, Jill Feldhusen, Lina Klumpp, Hannah Rudolph and Kelly Chapman.
