State high school soccer tournaments: New approach has Charter boys atop 4A ranks

By JASON ELLIOTT

Sports writer

The great thing about having a turf field to practice on nearby is that, should things not go your way — regardless of the season — players can get right back to work on their game.

That could be the key for the Coeur d’Alene Charter boys soccer program as the Panthers open the state 4A tournament today as the top seed for the first time in program history.

Coeur d’Alene Charter (14-1-0) finished runner-up to Wendell at state last year at The Fields at Real Life in Post Falls. The Panthers open at state today against eighth-seeded Marsh Valley (11-5-3) at Owyhee High in Meridian at 8 a.m. PDT.

“They were working the week after state last year,” fifth-year Coeur d’Alene Charter coach Craig Daigle said. “They would go to Real Life on the weekends and play. Constantly working on getting better.”

The Panthers have allowed two goals this season, and none against 4A competition.

“Our motto is ‘smarter, faster, stronger,’” Daigle said. “We are constantly trying to play smarter, so we can make faster decisions that lead to a stronger team. We’ve got great communication and familiarity. These guys have been playing together for three to four years. They know how and when to cover for each other and what strengths each one has. We have the mentality that when they have the ball, all 11 players are defenders.”

Wendell is the second seed and opens with No. 7 seed Ambrose (9-4-2) of Boise. Bonners Ferry (12-7-0), the District 1-2 runner-up, is seeded sixth and opens with third-seeded McCall-Donnelly (13-1-1).

It is the fifth trip to state for Coeur d’Alene Charter in program history.

“Our ball movement needs to be the strongest it’s been all year for us to succeed,” Daigle said. “When we are able to move the ball around and play unselfishly, we are at our best.”

4A GIRLS: Coeur d’Alene Charter (12-1-1) is in its 13th straight trip to state, winning 10 straight district titles, all under coach Stacy Smith. The Panthers beat Timberlake (9-9-0) 1-0 in overtime in the district title match.

“We’re excited that both of us have been able to secure the berths to state,” said Smith, whose team opens with second-seeded Kimberly (18-2-0) today at 2 p.m. PDT at Meridian High.

Timberlake is the eighth-seed, opening with defending champion Sugar-Salem (15-0-0) today at 8 a.m.

The Tigers are at state for the third time in four years, and first under second-year coach Logan Georgeadis.

6A BOYS: Defending champion Boise (12-7-2), which ousted Coeur d’Alene in a state play-in match last Saturday in Lewiston, is the eighth seed and opens with top-seeded Rocky Mountain (15-2-0) of Meridian today at 8 a.m.

6A GIRLS: Defending champion Rocky Mountain (12-3-2) is the second seed and opens with seventh-seeded Eagle (11-8-3) today at 2 p.m. at Rocky Mountain High in Meridian. The Mustangs beat District 1 champion Lake City in a play-in match last Saturday in Lewiston. 

The Timberwolves, who claimed a 13th straight regional title last week, had appeared at state in 16 straight seasons, winning state titles in 2012, 2016 and 2021.

5A BOYS: Sandpoint (13-3-2), the Region 1 champion, is the third seed and opens with No. 6 Skyline (9-7-4) of Idaho Falls today at Columbia High in Nampa.

Defending champion Vallivue (15-1-0) of Caldwell is the top seed and faces eighth-seeded Pocatello (7-5-3) in the opening round.

5A GIRLS: Sandpoint (6-8-1), the tournament’s eighth seed, opens against top-seeded Hillcrest (17-0-1) of Ammon today at Middleton High.

Pocatello, the defending champion, is seeded seventh and faces second-seeded Twin Falls (17-0-1) in the final match of the day.