Boys clinch IML title

By ROBERT JAMES

Managing Editor

The Bonners Ferry High School boys soccer team claimed the Intermountain League title Saturday with a 4-1 win over the Orofino Maniacs.

The win gave the Badgers (8-5-3, 4-0) a perfect league regular season. Miguel Mendez scored three goals in the game and Jesus Mendez and Aaron Hoisington played well in goal as Bonners Ferry matched Orofino's physical play in the game.

"We played real good," coach Wayne Wilkerson said. "Emotions were high. It was a very physical game."

Orofino players picked up several yellow cards for hard tackles in the game but Bonners Ferry players would not let the rough play get to them.

The team jumped to a 1-0 lead 22 minutes in as Miguel Mendez scored. That was the halftime score.

Miguel doubled the lead just 30 seconds into the second half and then added his third goal of the game about nine minutes later to put the Badgers up 3-0.

Orofino cut the lead to 3-1 at the game's 67-minute mark, but James Krejci hammered home a beautiful volley off a pass from Jesus Mendez to ice the game 4-1.

The team, which played Valley Christian Tuesday, now waits until Saturday, when it will play the winner of the St. Maries-Orofino game to determine which team goes to the state tournament October 19-21 in Meridian.

Last week was a busy week for the Badgers as the team played back-to-back-to-back games, starting with a win over Sandpoint's JV team, then a loss to Whitefish, Mont., finally finishing with the win over Orofino.

Whitefish is a powerhouse program that has been demolishing its opponents this season, Wilkerson said. The team typically wins games "eleven or 12 to nothing," he said.

The Badgers played extremely well, but lost 3-0 to Whitefish. The game was scoreless for the first 37 minutes before Whitefish knocked in two quick goals just before halftime.

Then Bonners Ferry gave up one more goal seven minutes into the second half, but shut out Whitefish from there.

"Both the parents and coach (from Whitefish) said we were probably the best team they played all year," Wilkerson said. "Our defense played very well against a very good team."

Wednesday, the team faced Sandpoint's JV team and came away with a 3-0 win. Wilkerson was impressed with his fullbacks and midfielders in the game, as well as for the entire season.

The district tournament game Saturday is in Post Falls.