Last season: 7-8, 6-4 in 4A Intermountain, placed third in districts 

Coaches: Emily Winebark (Head coach), Jason Trujillo (Assistant coach) 

Key returners: Lil Therrien, jr.; Emilie Bourassa, sr.; Giuliana Abraham, sr.; Marley Pauls, jr. 

Key newcomers: Audrey Wells, so.; Madison DesMarais, fr. 

Outlook: There are a lot of unknowns for the Bonners Ferry High girls soccer team heading into their 2026 season. 

The Badgers are bringing in six new players to compensate for the loss of several key seniors and are set to play in an expanded 4A Intermountain District, which welcomes Kellogg and Orofino to its ranks. To wade through, head coach Emily Winebark said she’ll be leaning on an impressive junior class and a few seniors to lead the team. 

Junior Marley Pauls, whom Winebark said is one of the most skilled players on the team, heads the group of third years looking to make an impact. Pauls and fellow junior Lil Therrien showcased their ability in the Badgers’ second game of the year, a 4-1 win against St. Maries, each scoring a brace.  

Lillian Wright and Mayzie Humas are two more juniors that Winebark said should contribute to the team in the midfield. Joining those two is senior Emilie Bourassa, whose versatility and stamina are a key part of the Badgers’ playstyle. Winebark said that Bourassa is already lining up to be her most improved player this year. 

With six roster spots available, the team has a lot of opportunities for underclassmen to contribute. Bonners Ferry will need big things from sophomore goalkeeper Audrey Wells and freshman Madison DesMarais, who Winebark described as a “coach’s dream.” 

Winebark said the Badgers will look to close any skill gap with hustle, grit and aggressiveness. She said that she wants her Badgers to play nonstop and focus on their mental toughness, so they can bounce back from mistakes. 

If they can do that, the Badgers are primed to compete in the expanded 4A district. 

Coach’s comments: 

Winebark on the season’s outlook: “We've added Kellogg and Orofino now have girls teams, which is great. So it's this year feels really unpredictable to me. I don't know how those other two teams are going to be. Typically, our competition is Coeur d'Alene Charter. In the past, we've typically fallen to that second-place spot, or have been battling Timberlake for that second-place spot.” 

Winebark on Madison Desmarais: “I can kind of put her anywhere and know that she won't get tired and know that she'll do her absolute best and work super hard. She's shown really, really, really good work ethic. She's been at every practice; she asks what she does to improve. She's just kind of that like a coach's dream type of player who you know is going to put in 100% all the time.” 

Winebark on playing Coeur d’Alene Charter: “They just have really strong players, and we just do our best to just outwork them. I would love to say that our goal is always to beat them, but I just want the girls to be able to walk away from those games feeling proud and feeling like they left it all in the field, because it's a really challenging game.” 

Winebark on the team’s playstyle: “I want to be the most aggressive team. I also want to be the most mentally tough team. Like regardless of the score, we can we can bounce back. Mistakes fuel us; they don't shut us down.” 

Schedule: 

8/27 @ Sandpoint, 7 p.m. 

8/29 @ Grangeville, 12 p.m. 

8/31 vs Priest River, 6 p.m. 

9/1 @ Kellogg, 4 p.m. 

9/11 vs Orofino, 1 p.m. 

9/12 vs Timberlake, 12 p.m. 

9/15 vs Kellogg, 5:30 p.m. 

9/17 @ St. Maries, 6 p.m. 

9/19 vs Grangeville, 12 p.m. 

9/22 vs Coeur d'Alene Charter, 7 p.m. 

9/25 vs Orofino, 4 p.m. 

9/26 @ Priest River, 2 p.m. 

10/2 @ Timberlake, 4 p.m. 

Schedule as of 8/25, subject to change