Wednesday, October 22, 2008

Wolverine girls blank Century 1-0, off to state

Dredge’s goal the winner, Knights are next


By JEFF CORDES
Express Staff Writer

White shirted Tanner Dredge, who scored the game winner Thursday at Century, splits the Skyview defense during Wood River’s season-opening 1-0 home win over the 2007 State 4A tournament runner-up Hawks Aug. 23 in Hailey. Photo by David N. Seelig

The word "never" isn't forever in team sports. Just ask the Tampa Rays. Ask Chicago Cubs fans who keep lining up at the turnstiles each year. Ask Fulham in the English Premier League, well, you better not.

And just ask the top-ranked Wood River High School girls' soccer team (16-1-1), headed to the State 4A tournament in Caldwell this week with high hopes for a third state championship, but its first in 4A and its first state title since 2000.

Having never beaten the Century Diamondbacks on the Pocatello field, having never even scored a goal at Century, Wood River relegated "never" to nowhere Thursday with a 1-0 victory in the Great Basin Conference championship game.

Sophomore striker Tanner Dredge (35 goals in 18 games) scored the second-half game winner in the 51st minute and sophomore goalkeeper Madison Gove had a strong effort in the net as Wood River finally knocked off Century (12-1-3).

History didn't favor coach Greg Gvozdas' Wolverines as they ventured to Pocatello Thursday. They had lost five of their last six games to Century including the last three Great Basin title games 2-0, 1-0 and 1-0 in Pocatello. They were 0-5-1 against Century in Pocatello and had been outscored 19-0.

But Wood River's senior defensive backs Sam Johnson, Laura Elgee and Makayla Cappel neutralized Century's counter-attacks and prevailed in the one-on-one situations. Faced with numerous free kicks, keeper Gove was steady.

And Dredge, wearing #13, scored in her 13th game this season to stretch Wood River's current unbeaten streak to 16 games. The Wolverines have posted 10 shutouts in 18 games.

The outcome meant that Wood River is now faced with another "never" situation.

Wood River opens its 2008 state tournament quest Thursday, Oct. 23 at Brothers Park in Caldwell with an 11 a.m. clash against reigning State 4A champion Bishop Kelly of Boise (17-2-0). The Wolverines have never beaten Bishop Kelly in three tries and have been outscored 18-0 in those games.

Bishop Kelly, winners of 37 consecutive games against 4A opponents, was upset by Skyview of Nampa (16-4-0) in last Thursday's Third District championship game. So the Knights ended up as the second seed out of the Boise area, which is why they drew Wood River in the first round at state.

Gvozdas said, "Obviously we're still the top seed but we might be the underdogs, since Bishop Kelly is ranked in the western region. Bishop Kelly is more of an attack-oriented team than Century, which could play to our advantage."

The coach of the Hailey program making its 14th consecutive trip to the state soccer tournament added, "We might be more confident going into state than we've ever been."

The winner of Wood River-Bishop Kelly will play the winner of Moscow-Bonneville of Idaho Falls in Friday's 2 p.m. semi-final game. The Wolverines have beaten Moscow 2-1, and Bonneville made it to state via the play-in route 2-1 over Preston Saturday in Pocatello.

Perhaps the tougher bracket features Skyview and Century, playing each other Thursday at 2 p.m., and Hillcrest of Idaho Falls (13-2-1, 94-18 goals against) meeting Columbia High School (13-6-2) Thursday at 2 p.m.

The championship, third-place and consolation games will all be played Saturday at 11 a.m. at different Caldwell sites.

Century was last year's State 4A third-place finisher after winning three state titles in 2003 and 2005-06. Bishop Kelly is the only other school in the field that has won a 4A title, since 2000-02 and 2004 winner Sandpoint has elected to play 5A soccer and has qualified for the State 5A tourney Thursday.

Defensive battle at Century

There's a reason that coach Jamshid Roomiany's Century's girls have allowed only five goals this season—and had won state titles by close decisions over Hillcrest, Lakeland and Moscow in 2006, 2005 and 2003.

"Century is a very strong defensive team with a very talented goalkeeper. They play essentially with five backs—four backs and a holding midfielder," said Gvozdas. "They almost bypass their midfielders. All players hold and only a few go into the attack."

Wood River has quite a bit of speed among its forwards and midfielders, and years of experience and fitness in its backs.

Gvozdas said, "We tried to play our forwards on a higher line to keep their backs under more pressure. Going into halftime of a scoreless game, things seemed to be going in the right direction. It just came down to finishing and putting a ball into the back of the net."

The way Gvozdas remembered the game winning play, "Samantha (Johnson) was coming down the right flank and crossed to Megan (Morrell), wide in the left forward spot. Megan brought the ball in on a two-v-one situation, tight with Tanner and the defense."

Dredge shot low from about 15 yards and the ball went in.

Century responded by adding one striker to its two-striker attack. Gvozdas said, "We have to be better at recognizing when other teams do that. For 10 minutes after the goal, the play was helter skelter. Still, most of the play was between the 18s, which can be to our advantage."

Her coaches warned goalkeeper Gove beforehand that, playing on the Century field, she had to be ready for free kicks whistled after fouls. The Hailey coaches didn't necessarily agree with some of the calls but at least they knew they were coming. So did players.

"Century had numerous free kicks within 30 or 40 yards, but I didn't think they had many high-quality chances. Madison did well getting her hands on the free kicks," said Gvozdas.

He added, "With Tanner's goal happening so early in the half, we couldn't fall into a defensive shell. Still, the free kicks started to pile up at the end of the second half. They had the pressure on, and we did real well against it."




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