Badger boys' soccer claims IML title

The Bonners Ferry boys’ soccer team earned the Intermountain League season title with a pair of convincing wins last weekend.

The Badgers shutout Orofino 7-0 at home on Friday, then traveled to St. Maries on Saturday and came away with a 5-1 victory, leaving the Badgers at 5-0 in league with one game remaining.

Seven different Badgers scored against the Maniacs, with junior defenders Trevor Pew and Matthew Gray scoring their first career goals in the first half, which ended with the home side up 4-0.

Sophomore goalkeeper Caleb Blackmore played in the field in the second half, scoring on a penalty kick in the 50th minute and assisting on senior Griffin Doubrava’s goal in the 69th minute, earning him an unusual trifecta of scoring, assisting, and earning a save all in one game.

Sophomore striker Jake Tremble scored the first of his three goals 27 seconds into Saturday’s match, assisted on senior midfielder Jesus Mendez’s score in the 13th minute, then scored again in the 28th minute to give the Badgers a comfortable 3-0 half-time lead.

Tremble collected his second assist in the 55th minute when he fed senior midfielder Victor Mendez, and then earned the hat-trick four minutes later with an unassisted shot from 18 yards to give Bonners a 5-0 lead. The back four defender group of senior Oscar Lopez and juniors Pew, Gray and Collin Stone repeatedly turned away any Lumberjack scoring opportunities.

The Badgers complete their regular season with away games at Priest River Oct. 8 and Stillwater Christian of Kalispell on Oct. 10. The District I-II playoffs will be held next week in Rathdrum at the Lakeland soccer complex.