Bonners Ferry wins district title; St. Maries on to state play-in game

POST FALLS — Playing strong against a team that was stronger, taller and most importantly faster than it was, St. Maries played at a very respectable level.

But after scoring the first goal of the championship game of the 3A District 1-2 boys soccer tournament at Post Falls High, that was simply not enough for the fourth-seeded Lumberjacks, in a 3-1 loss to second-seeded Bonners Ferry.

But the season is not over just yet for the Lumberjacks (4-10-2), who at 3 p.m. on Saturday in Moscow will play against the District 3 runner-up in a state play-in game. St. Maries has nine freshmen, no seniors and six juniors, compared with five seniors and five juniors on Bonners Ferry’s roster.

“The decision-making is fine,” said Lumberjacks coach Chris Renaldo, whose team stunned top-seeded Timberlake in the semifinals on Tuesday. “Our size and speed will come.”

Until that happens, St. Maries watched as the Badgers (7-9-1), who finished fourth in the state tournament last season, qualified for state for the 17th straight year and will play District 4 champion Community School next Thursday in their state opener at Vallivue High in Caldwell.

“We peaked at the right time,” Bonners Ferry coach Wayne Wilkerson said. “Credit to St. Maries, they’re a young team but they hung in there. Raul (Fernandez) created with our offense.”

Fernandez’s crossing pass to Elijah Price led to the go-ahead goal from 6 yards out in the 12th minute to make it 2-1.

“That cross was perfect,” Price said. “We finally connected on it. We missed two or three times before that, so we kept trying it and it worked.”

Earlier, Tristin Howell of Bonners Ferry tied the game at 1 from 5 yards away in the 10th minute on the right side, on a rebound off St. Maries junior goalkeeper Luca Vom Hagen, who made an initial save off the foot of Daniel Streuber. This came five minutes after Gage Mitchell quickly scored for St. Maries off of a free kick.

Vom Hagen, a 6-foot-4 exchange student from Bliesmengen-Bolchen, Germany, located near Munich, made seven saves and faced 21 shots on goal.

“We’re better than that on defense,” Vom Hagen said. “Everyone was nervous.”

Price factored into the tack-on goal in the second half, in the 65th minute. Another cross found him, but as two St. Maries defenders had him covered, he made a quick heel pass to Tucker Dirks, who put the ball away into a wide-open net from 7 yards away.

The Lumberjacks’ last chance was thwarted five minutes later, when midfielder Aiden Lee — an exchange student from Korea — had his shot attempt blocked by diving defender Anthony Shutes.

First half — 1, SM, Gage Mitchell (unassisted), 5:00. 2, BF, Tristin Howell (unassisted), 10:00. 3, BF, Elijah Price (Raul Fernandez), 12:00. Second half — 4, BF, Tucker Dirks (Price), 65:00.

Shots on goal — BF 21, SM 7.

Saves — BF, Caleb Blackmore 3, SM, Luca Vom Hagen 7.

ALL-INTERMOUNTAIN LEAGUE

Cody Bentley, jr., Timberlake (MVP); Corbin Maltba, jr., Priest River; Jaden Robertson, jr., Orofino; Caleb Blackmore, sr., Bonners Ferry; Gage Mitchell, jr., St. Maries; Anthony Shutes, jr., Bonners Ferry; Cody Pelton, jr., Priest River; Thomas Hauck, sr., Timberlake; Dashiell Tyler, jr., Orofino; Stephen Davenport, jr., St. Maries; Joe Irvine, sr., Priest River; Tucker Dirks, sr., Bonners Ferry.

Coach of the Year: Rob Lawler, Priest River.