The Wood River High School boys' and girls' varsity soccer teams are taking a few days off from practices and games this week as part of the Blaine County School District's mandatory fire-caused school closure through Labor Day.
Two tie games Monday sent the Wolverine teams into their unexpected lockdown. Wood River's girls (1-3-1, 1-0 league) tied Highland of Pocatello 0-0 on the Hailey pitch and the Wolverine (2-2-1, 0-1 league) boys settled for a 1-1 tie with Highland in Pocatello.
Canceled because of the school closures were today's game for the girls in Pocatello against reigning State 4A champion Century, and the boys' game against Century on the Hailey field. The games are not expected to be rescheduled.
Next up: Coach Greg Gvozdas' Wood River girls travel to Jerome Wednesday, Sept. 5 for a Great Basin Conference West league game against the Tigers, and coach Matt Phillips' Hailey boys' varsity entertains a tough Jerome team next Wednesday.
Jerome's boys beat Wood River three straight times to end the 2006 season and ousted the Wolverines from state tournament contention. The Tigers (4-1-0) are still improving and boast 6-1 and 4-2 wins over Minico and Twin Falls entering today's Great Basin West home clash against undefeated Burley (4-0-0).
The Jerome girls (1-2-1, 1-0 league) will visit Burley (0-3-1, 0-1 league) today, Wednesday. Jerome beat the Minico Lady Spartans (0-4-1) by a 2-0 score in Rupert Saturday. Wood River's only victory to date has come over Burley, 6-1 Aug. 20.
Recent soccer games
The Wood River girls haven't played well in the second half in the early going against either 2006 State 4A consolation champion Skyview of Nampa nor last year's State 4A runner-up Hillcrest of Idaho Falls.
Each game was scoreless at the half. Skyview flattened Wood River 3-0 after half and Saturday's game at Idaho Falls was much the same situation in a 4-0 loss to Hillcrest (2-1-0).
Senior Caitlin Walline of Hillcrest scored the first of her two goals in the 62nd minute for a 1-0 lead, and the Knights ran off four goals in just 16 minutes capped by Walline's second tally just before the whistle.
Gvozdas and assistant coach Aaron Thompson wanted more of a team effort against Highland. They got it Monday afternoon in Hailey. The Wolverines picked up their play and gave each other more support in the scoreless tie with Highland—a team that had licked Wood River 3-2 on Aug. 17.
The game was evenly played. Wood River outshot Highland 18-17. Highland had a 6-2 edge in corners. Wolverine freshman goalkeeper Madison Gove (17 saves) played with more confidence. Rams freshman keeper McKenzie Adams (11 saves) was just as good.
5A school Highland (3-0-2) had also tied 4A state champion Century 0-0 so the Wolverines felt pretty good about their progress after the disappointing trip to Idaho Falls.
They managed two excellent scoring chances in the first half by Aimee Evans and Tanner Dredge, plus a Dredge breakaway in the second half where the speedy freshman shot high. Elsa Sweek added a late chance that Rams keeper Adams stopped. Adams made another great save on Dredge, while Gove stopped Rams senior Ari Webb point blank at 28 minutes to keep the score 0-0.
Wood River's boys got an unassisted goal by sophomore Morgan Pike in the 18th minute at Highland Monday. Despite out-shooting the Rams 17-10, the Wolverines yielded a Highland goal in the 64th minute and went home with the 1-1 tie.
Keeper Colter Brehmer had seven saves but Wood River stayed winless on the road at 0-2-1. "It was a lackluster effort. We couldn't get things going," Phillips said.
Things were much different on the Hailey pitch Saturday and the scoring came quickly.
Senior Ross Parsons scored in the first minute and the ninth minute as Wood River blanked Hillcrest (0-2-1) by a score of 2-0. Phillips was pleased with the aggressive keeping of Brehmer, who made eight big saves in the first half.
"Colter is working hard on confidence and technique and it's starting to pay off," said Phillips. "Thanks to (assistant coach) Trey Knox, the defense is working a lot on pressure and cover. We're going for the basics of a simple passing game."
Wood River shocked Hillcrest in the early going when sophomore Hector Lopez made a quick throw-in to junior Kyler VanDyck, who sent Parsons in alone for the chip shot with a perfect lead pass. The second Parsons goal was more of an individual effort amidst a crowd. Two shots, and two goals. That was the game.
Hillcrest's shooters were stymied on several occasions by an unfriendly crossbar and post but Wood River (2-0 at home) wasn't complaining, not after Hillcrest tied 5A Madison 1-1 last Tuesday at Rexburg.