5A REGION 1 PREP GIRLS SOCCER CHAMPIONSHIP: On to the next one
Jason ELLIOTTSports Writer | Hagadone News Network | UPDATED 9 years, 3 months AGO
COEUR d’ALENE — The Lake City girls soccer team has made a habit of not talking or worrying about the next match for quite some time now.
As it appears now, the biggest concern in the next Timberwolves match might just be getting there.
Junior Havana Johnson and senior Camryn Wendlandt scored two goals apiece as the top-seeded Timberwolves defeated the second-seeded Coeur d’Alene Vikings 4-1 in the 5A Region 1 tournament championship match on Tuesday at the Irma Anderl Soccer Complex at Lake City.
It was Lake City’s third straight regional title, and second straight win over Coeur d’Alene in the title game.
“No games are easy, and these girls have known that from the start of the season,” Lake City coach Matt Ruchti said. “We just talk about what we’re going to do day in, and day out. We kind of had a wakeup call a few weeks ago, but the girls really righted the ship and they’ve figured it out.”
Lake City (12-0-2) advances to face the runner-up from District 3 in the opening round of the state tournament starting next Thursday at Meridian High.
Wendlandt opened the scoring in the fifth minute, scoring on a header from a corner kick created by Johnson.
“Thought our front line was good today and we knew we were going to get some scoring opportunities, we knew we were going to get goal-scoring opportunities,” Ruchti said. “They’ve proven week after week that they are a handful to deal with athletically and soccerwise. When they put everything together, especially on the front line, we’re a tough group to handle. And they’ve had great emotion and the emotion was great today. Knew it was going to be tough all the way through, and it was today, but that’s OK.”
Coeur d’Alene’s Mikinzie Hague evened the scoring in the 19th minute for Coeur d’Alene, and Johnson scored in the 38th minute to give the Timberwolves a 2-1 lead. Both Johnson and Wendlandt added another goal in the second half as the Timberwolves held the Vikings scoreless.
“They’ve been great together this year,” Ruchti said. “It’s been a great group of players all together as a group. When Camryn and Havana — and Havana has had her moments throughout the season for sure — but when our front line keeps producing, they’re tough. It’s been a great year for those two, but their leadership has been prevelant on the field. They come ready for practice each day and get after each other on the field, and the kids have picked right up after them.”
Wendlandt’s second goal came from 25 yards out to give Lake City a 3-1 lead.
“It was a really good team win,” said Wendlandt, who has signed to play at San Diego State. “We’ve worked together really well during the offseason, summer stuff and the season has worked out really well. Everyone has been contributing and it’s been going really well.”
Coeur d’Alene (8-4-1) will face the fifth-place finisher out of District 3 in a state play-in game Saturday at 1 p.m. at Walker Field in Lewiston. Three of Coeur d’Alene’s four losses have come to Lake City.
“It was a tough one,” Coeur d’Alene coach Andy Vredenburg said. “Lake City was the better team today and definitely deserved to win. We’re focused on Saturday now and winning that play-in game to make it to state.”
Coeur d’Alene advanced to state in 2014 through a play-in game and finished fourth.
“Today was definitely disappointing, but we’re still alive,” Vredenburg said. “We’re focused on Saturday. Just like last year, had this same situation and it was a good year for us.”
First half — 1, LC, Camryn Wendlandt (Havana Johnson), 5:41. 2, Cd’A, Mikinzie Hague (unassisted), 19:53. 3, LC, Johnson (unassisted), 38:00. Second half — 4, LC, Wendlandt (unassisted), 44:30. 5, LC, Johnson (Annica Wilson), 56:15.
Shots on goal — Cd’A 6, LC 20.
Saves — Cd’A, Julia Roach 15; LC, Emily Parson 5.
ARTICLES BY JASON ELLIOTTSPORTS WRITER
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