Wednesday, August 22, 2007

Wolverine girls post 6-1 league win over Burley

First soccer victory of the 2007 campaign


Top: Wood River and Skyview played a physical brand of soccer Saturday in Hailey?Aimee Evans of the Wolverines (center) sandwiched between Skyview goalkeeper Taylor Culver and Hawks defender Kaeli Laxson on this scoring attempt. Skyview broke open a 0-0 halftime game and won 3-0. Bottom: Wood River sent out a number of first-year varsity players against Skyview including freshman Taylor Hayes (right), pursued here by Estefania Mondragon of the Hawks. Photo by David N. Seelig

The shots were plentiful, but finishing was a source of frustration for the Wood River High School girls' soccer team during much of Monday's Great Basin Conference West contest against the Burley Bobcats on the Hailey soccer field.

Seeking its first victory of the season, Wood River (1-2-0) outshot Burley 22-2 in the first half but managed only an Ashley Hesteness goal after an Aimee Evans corner with the game 10 minutes old. It was 1-0 at half and 1-1 after 63 minutes.

Then, the floodgates opened. Wood River's superior talent found the mark for five goals in an 11-minute span and a going-away 6-1 league triumph that marked the 50th varsity victory for coach Greg Gvozdas. The Wolverines outshot Burley 42-3 and were 8-0 in corner kicks.

Gvozdas said, "In the first half we didn't manage the game well and could have attacked more in the box rather than taking 35-yard shots. We continued to be patient and finally scored when people broke through and the forwards started to work well together in the second half."

A strong and talented junior, Evans accounted for two goals and freshman Tanner Dredge scored twice. Junior Makayla Cappel also scored.

Before its scoring explosion, Wood River could have led 4-1 because Evans hit the crossbar twice and Dredge nailed another good shot off the left post.

The scoring drought ended at 64 minutes when junior midfielder Sam Johnson brought the ball into the center of the field and was spilled. Evans collected the loose ball and one-timed a hard line drive, 2-1.

Three minutes later Cappel took a feed from Hannah Fuller and loped across the middle, firing home a 25-yard shot. Bailey Ireland won possession and gave it to Evans, who popped from 28 yards for a 4-1 game at 69 minutes. Then ninth-grader Dredge scored two goals.

After another Evans corner kick, Fuller gathered the ball and got it to Dredge, who left-footed a winner into the corner. The sixth goal was the prettiest, a beautiful touch pass from Delaney Fox that sent Dredge in for a top shelf tally. Cappel's run opened up the space.

Cinthia Rios scored for Burley (0-2-0), Wood River's opponent in last year's Great Basin West Conference title game won by the Wolverines 3-0. Most recently, the Bobcats (0-2-0) fell 3-0 to Pocatello Saturday.

Burley goalkeeper Meagen Warner (23 saves) was busy. Wood River keeper Madison Gove (3 saves) was not.

Wood River has another tough assignment when it travels to Idaho Falls Saturday, Aug. 25 for a match against State 4A runner-up Hillcrest (15-3-2 in 2006), winner of three of the past four 4A High Country Conference championships. Hillcrest lost its opener to Skyline 3-2 last Friday.

Gvozdas noted about his team's tough early schedule, "We've played at a high level but we're not yet there for 80 minutes. Also, we're still in flux position-wise. We've had some stiff competition while experimenting with positions."

Hailey has a home rematch against Highland of Pocatello next Monday in Hailey. Next Wednesday's opponent, state champion Century (2-0), beat Blackfoot 3-0 in Pocatello Friday and narrowly defeated Jerome 2-0 Monday, in Jerome.

Losses to Highland, Skyview

Wood River opened its season last weekend with a couple of losses to state tournament teams—5A Highland of Pocatello and Skyview.

Friday in Pocatello, two lightning delays postponed the start and ultimately ended the season's first game between Highland and Wood River. It was the first time in nine years the two schools have played.

Highland built 2-0 and 3-1 leads and prevailed 3-2 in a game shortened by lightning to 65 minutes instead of the regulation 80. Suspended games are declared official by the head referee if one complete half or more has been completed.

Tedi Hugga and Stephanie Hollman scored for Highland in the first 10 minutes and Megan Michales of Highland made it 3-1 at half. Both Wood River goals, by junior Laura Elgee and senior co-captain Hannah Fuller, came after corner kicks.

State 5A qualifier Highland (12-7-1 last year) ran its current record to 2-0 Saturday with a 19-1 home win over Minico, also in Pocatello on the Bannock County Fairgrounds field to be used for the state tourney.

On Saturday, 2006 State 4A consolation champion Skyview of Nampa (18-4 last fall) shrugged off a scoreless halftime game and defeated Wood River 3-0 in the season-opening girls' game at South Valley Sports Complex soccer field. Skyview's only loss at state last year was 1-0 to state champ Century of Pocatello in its first game at the state tournament.

Skyview coach Lawrence Nitu said he was happy when Wood River won the coin toss and elected to attack with the wind in the first half. He encouraged his Hawks to try to keep the score at 0-0 in the first half and "use the elements to our advantage as a 12th man in the second half."

Skyview broke open the close game with two goals in a two-minute span early in the second half.

An impressive freshman midfielder, Peyton Moon, served a ball ahead that junior Makenna Pryor converted at 51 minutes for a 1-0 game. A cross from the left wing off the foot of sophomore Jenny Field found junior Estefania Mondragon, who scored high into the net.

Speedy All-State prospect Dominique Alston finished the scoring with a breakaway at 61 minutes.

Gvozdas was encouraged that Wood River, with a much younger team, played Skyview tougher than the 6-2 loss in last year's State 4A consolation game. In that mismatch, Alston scored twice and Skyview marched ahead 3-0 after 24 minutes. The Hawks outshot Wood River 15-2 in the first half and 19-11 in all.

This time, Wood River outshot Skyview 13-12 for the game, although most Hailey shots weren't challenging for Hawks senior keeper Taylor Culver (10 saves). For Wood River, freshman keeper Gove (7 saves) made her first start.

Wood River played its first two games without juniors Delaney Fox and Elsa Sweek, who scored 15 goals between them last fall. Both nursed ankle injuries. Also, center midfielder Laura Elgee went down with a knee contusion late in the Skyview game and subsequently was sidelined with kidney stones for two weeks.




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