Boys soccer team starts state run
—Courtesy Photo<br>The Bonners Ferry High School boys soccer team advanced to state with a 3-0 win over Orofino Saturday. The team includes, left to right (front row): Ignacio Lopez, Dayne Swisher, Mike Merrill, AJ Zarate, John Wakkinen, Jesus Mendez, Jody Wilkerson, Wanda Wilkerson. Back row: Zack Unruh, James Standal, Blake Skjeveland, Aaron Hoisington, Miguel Mendez, Spencer Pauls, James Krejci, Andrew Galloway, Mark Chrisman, Cedar Bolton, Coach Wayne Wilkerson.
By ROBERT JAMES
Managing Editor
Bonners Ferry High School boys soccer coach Wayne Wilkerson thought his team deserved to go to state. After all, the team did sweep through the Intermountain League regular season undefeated and entered the tournament Saturday as the top seed.
Turns out, the coach was right. Bonners Ferry shut out Orofino 3-0 in the tournament final to earn a trip to the state tournament starting today.
"We played very, very well," Wilkerson said.
Orofino came out physical, as the Maniacs always do, Wilkerson said. His team was forced to deal with that play.
Orofino was whistled for 27 fouls in the game and had five yellow cards.
That helped keep the Maniacs in check, Wilkerson said.
"The refs did a very good job," he said.
Miguel Mendez collected the hat trick for Bonners Ferry, scoring all three Badger goals in the game.
The sophomore scored twice in the first half. His first goal came 13 minutes into the game off an assist from John Wakkinen. Mendez scored again at the 39-minute mark. Jody Wilkerson picked up that assist.
Then in the second half, Mendez scored off an assist from Andrew Galloway at the 72-minute mark.
"We dominated the game," Wilkerson said. "The score didn't indicate the level of dominance."
Goalie Cedar Bolton saved three shots to earn the shutout.
Bonners Ferry beat Orofino twice before, winning 5-0 and 4-1. Every game was a physical test.
"That's how Orofino keeps in the game," Wilkerson said. "All season, we out-skilled them, though."
The win sets Bonners Ferry (9-5-3) up for a trip through the state tournament. That journey begins at 9:30 this morning with a game against Sugar-Salem (11-2-7). The Diggers come from the Mountain Rivers Conference in District 6.
"We need to play tough," Wilkerson said. "We're going to anticipate very aggressive, very fast teams."
Eight teams are in the tournament. Bliss (14-0-1) is undefeated, Community School (15-2-1) and Sugar-Salem only have two losses all season and McCall (10-6-3) looks to be tough as well, Wilkerson said.
If Bonners Ferry wins today, the Badgers will play the winner of the Aberdeen-Bliss game at 9:30 a.m. Friday.
The state tournament is at the Capital Soccer Complex in Boise.