Boys soccer team loses 3-2

 Bonners Ferry Boys Soccer team lost 3-2 to St. George’s Dragons in Spokane, Wash., Tuesday.

The win gave the boys an overall 8-5-1 record. The Badgers will host 4A Moscow at 4 p.m. today, Oct. 8, and wrap up their home season at 1 p.m. Saturday, Oct. 10, with Orofino.     

Junior midfielder Aaron Moe opened the scoring, hitting a well-placed 20-yard shot off an assist from sophomore forward Andre Zarate, to put the Badgers up 1–0 in the 15th minute.

St. George’s countered in the 32nd minute when senior G. Muelheims broke free from the Badger defense to tie the game at one.

The Dragons took the lead in the 43rd minute after a defensive miscue in the Bonners goal area to take a 2–1 lead.

Bonners Ferry continued to press for the tying goal, and it came in the 72nd minute when Zarate broke free down the left flank, where his 12-yard shot beat the goalkeeper, but hit the crossbar.

Sophomore midfielder Hayden Wakkinen came flying in from the opposite side to slam the ball into the open net, tying the game at two, said coach Ed Moe.

St. George’s scored the game-winning goal in the 76th minute from inside the six-yard line when normal-goalkeeper-turned-forward Jordan Dickson converted a nicely placed crossing pass to give the home team the win, Moe said.            

In other action, the Badgers defeated the Lakeland Hawks 3-1 Saturday in a non-league game at Rathdrum.

After a scoreless first half, the Hawks got on the board first when Norwegian exchange student Tryum Abakken knocked in a wicked 25-yard blast to give Lakeland the lead.

Badger Alex Mendez tallied the first of his three goals in the 55th minute, converting a nicely played through pass from sophomore Daniel Palacios to even the score at 1-1, said Moe. Mendez scored the game-winning goal in the 67th minute.

Zarate carried a clearance from the Bonners’ defense 60 yards before dishing off a beautiful through pass, Moe said. Mendez converted his second left-footed goal of the game to give Bonners a 2–1 lead.

Mendez’s third goal in the 74th minute came off a corner started by Aaron Moe, which junior Mat Evans headed on goal. Mendez placed himself directly in front of the Hawk goalkeeper and tapped in the deflected shot from 3 yards out to ice the game.

Senior defender Carey Reynolds, starting in place of the injured Evans, recorded eight saves as the substitute goalkeeper and played superbly, said Moe, allowing Evans to take his spot at left defender. 

All the boys played well, notably defenders Evans, Blake Skjeveland, Trevor Hampton, Brandon Schmitz and Evan Moe. Senior forward David Morton also played his best game this season, Ed Moe said.