SPIRIT LAKE — The Badger boys suffered a tough 3-1 loss in a key Intermountain League match at Timberlake High School last Thursday, Sept. 26.

Badgers coach Brycen Lunger called the game a “good wake up call” for the team.

“We have had a lot of success this year, and I think we kinda let our guard down, and Timberlake was hungrier than us,” said Lunger. “We were simply out worked and outplayed, but I am positive there is a lot to learn out of a tough loss like this.”

Carson Spencer scored the only goal for the Badgers. Despite the loss, Lunger said that he expects the team to rebound nicely in the last third of the remaining season.

Joao dos Santos scored two goals for the Intermountain League-leading Tigers (10-0-1 overall, 8-0 IML). Timberlake snapped Bonners Ferry’s streak of 13 straight district titles last year, capturing its first district title and advancing to the state tournament for the first time in program history.

“It was a very aggressive game,” Timberlake coach Steve Michael said. “There were a lot of hits and it was kind of a mess of a game. Bonners brought an up-tempo kind of game, and it took us a while to adjust to that, but we were able to take care of the game.”

The Badgers will travel to Grangeville High School for a match at 2 p.m. on Friday, Oct. 4, followed by a game at Orofino High School at 10 a.m. Saturday, Oct. 5.

First half — 1, TL, own goal, 3:00. 2, TL, Joao dos Santos (unassisted), 14:00. 3, BF, Spencer, 23:00. Second half — 4, TL, dos Santos (unassisted), 72:00.

Shots on goal — BF 10, TL 8.

Saves — BF, Josh Beazer, 3; TL, Nate Anderson, 7.