High scoring Walkington leads Bulldogs in quest

for state title

By ERIC PLUMMER

Sports editor

SANDPOINT — One play earlier this season tells the tale of Sandpoint senior Riley Walkington far better than the bevy of hat tricks she’s tallied, or the stack of all league honors she’s accumulated, or the 20 goals she’s blasted in so far this season.

It’s a play that illustrates why the high-scoring, high-flying, high-intensity forward will play soccer next fall at Big Sky Conference power Eastern Washington University, and why she’ll be a heavily marked player when the 4A state tournament kicks off on Thursday when Sandpoint faces Vallivue at Lake City High School.

In short, it’s a play that was quintessential Walkington, a moment Sandpoint head coach Conor Baranski feels sums up one of the best players in the state in a nut shell.

“She tracked back hard to the mid-field to win a ball, tackled the girl and won it, then dribbled all the way to the goal, beat three girls and scored,” recalled Baranski. “It was sheer determination, and exemplifies her as a person. I admire her, she’s always known what she’s wanted.”

It’s one thing to want something, heck everyone does that. It’s another thing entirely to go out and make it happen, and that’s what Walkington has done since she started the first game of her freshman season, rippling the nets with regularity ever since.

You don’t score 50 goals in high school, the nice round numeral that Walkington is currently stuck on, without paying your dues behind the scenes. Therein lies the secret to her success.

“Beyond her talent, she works as hard as any athlete I’ve ever known. It’s getting her to rest that’s hard,” admitted Baranski. “She plays 12 months a year, and would play 13 if there was that many months.”

Walkington started playing soccer when she was 4 years-old, following in the footsteps of her dad Amos Walkington, a standout soccer player in his own right for Sandpoint. Mom Julie Walkington played volleyball, basketball and softball at Sandpoint, so Riley’s Bulldog roots run deep.

A love of soccer was instilled by dad at a young age, and has continued to blossom along with the gaudy goal totals.

“He’s always taught me hard work,” said Riley, who has been playing year round since she was 10 years-old while retaining a genuine love of the game. “I don’t know what it is, I just don’t get sick of it. There’s something about perfecting one thing.”

It’s been a strong senior campaign for Walkington, blasting 20 goals to go with nine assists, building off a junior season with 13 goals and four assists and adding to the 17 goals she scored as a freshman and sophomore.

She can score in a variety of ways, from deftly dribbling through traffic to blasting balls with her off foot to flying in and volleying in a goal, as she did earlier this season. Watch her for five minutes and you can see she plays with great skill and flair.

One of her oldest teammates is fellow senior Jezza Hutto, and the two have been nearly inseparable since they first teamed up in U11 soccer. They’ve played four years of varsity together, have played on both Idaho and Washington ODP teams together, and have traveled to regional championships together.

Hutto was asked what sticks out most about her fiery teammate, who always plays with a blistering pace from first whistle to last.

“She’s hungry for success. Self-motivated, doesn’t need someone to tell her to work hard,” described Hutto. “Our freshman year we were the only two on varsity at first, and got super close.”

Hutto recalled their sophomore season, when it was 1-1 late in the district championship before she passed to Walkington for the winning goal. There are pictures of the two celebrating to mark the special moment for posterity.

For Hutto, winning a state title as seniors would mean everything, as they’ve yet to break through in a program used to bringing home banners.

“We’ve worked so hard for three years. We’re the first class that doesn’t have that feeling of winning state,” conceded Hutto. “All of our peers in the past years have known that feeling.”

Walkington would love nothing more than to share such a feeling with Hutto, especially after falling to arch-rival Bishop Kelly in the championship game the past two seasons.

Suffice it to say, motivation for winning a state title won’t be an issue for Walkington.

“It’s been a goal of mine since my freshman year,” she said. “I can’t even put into words what that will mean. Words can’t describe how amazing that would feel.”

See tomorrow’s Bee sports for a preview of the 4A Idaho state girls soccer tournament, and Sandpoint’s opener against Vallivue.