Girls soccer team rebounds to beat Kellogg, St. Maries

By ROBERT JAMES

Managing Editor

The Bonners Ferry girls soccer team won two out of three last week, shutting out both Kellogg and St. Maries, and losing to Libby 7-1.

The Libby game, however, really doesn't count against the team, coach John Lindberg said. His team stepped on the field just hours after the father of one of its players was tragically killed in an accident.

"The kids did well and held up," Lindberg said. "They did their best under the circumstances."

Libby has a good team and had beaten Bonners Ferry 5-0 earlier this year. Brianna Watt made sure her team did not get shut out this time, scoring in the 76th minute.

"The kids all gave an effort, but the focus just wasn't there," Lindberg said. "I told them before the game to just consider this game one huge … practice game."

Libby led 4-0 at the half.

The next day, the team found its focus and dismantled a short-handed Kellogg team, winning 5-0.

Kellogg had no substitute players available. The Badgers took advantage and jumped out to a 4-0 halftime lead. From there, Lindberg gave many of his secondary players a shot on the field.

"It's a building-thing for those kids," he said. "There's no sense in jacking up the score."

Jennifer Putnam scored four goals and Watt scored one and assisted on two others for the Badgers.

Samantha Schmitz made three saves and recorded the shut-out.

Putnam and Watt continued their scoring touch the next day against St. Maries. Putnam racked up two more goals and Watt had one as the Badgers beat the Lumberjacks 3-0 on Saturday afternoon, but it was a goal that wasn't allowed that gave Bonners Ferry the momentum, Lindberg said.

"A lot of it started with a goal that was negated because of an offsides call," he said. "It sparked our girls up and gave St. Maries question marks."

Schmitz had eight saves and got her second shut-out of the week.

Bonners Ferry will need to step up its scoring this week as the team faces another stretch of three games in three days.

Thursday, the team hosts Sandpoint JV at 4 p.m. Friday the Badgers go to Whitefish, Mont. and then Saturday the team hosts Orofino in a league showdown that will determine the regular-season champion.

"Orofino is the most important of the three," Lindberg said. "It's going to come down to it. We've got to drop them."

The league playoffs are October 13 and 14.