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A Decade of Champions: fitting final state champs

by Eric PLUMMER<br
| January 2, 2010 8:00 PM

SANDPOINT — Was the recently-concluded decade an anomaly, or just a sign of things to come?

Sandpoint sports teams claimed a record 23 state titles, due in large part to the dozen won by the boys and girls soccer teams, which claimed titles in the same year for the fifth time in 2009.

How many banners will be hung in the new decade, and who will win them? Alas, nobody knows, and isn’t that really the beauty of sports?

n 2009 boys soccer team

ROSTER: Erik Wehse, Gerhart Suppiger, Jansen Rinck, Anders Nostdahl, Daniel Anderson, Ryan Schwartz, Tanner Williams, Adam Crossingham, Raleight Hanson, Zac Linscott, Mikka Nostdahl, Harrison Reasor, Spencer Hanson, Peik Wahl, Brenan Weme, Matt Miller, Jeff Rokstad, Tyler Ariss and head coach Randy Thoreson.

Randy Thoreson has somehow managed to make winning state titles look easy, guiding his charges to a remarkable seventh championship of the decade last fall.

After winning 5-4 over Skyview and 3-2 over Hillcrest in dramatic fashion, the Bulldogs got a late goal from senior Anders Nostdahl for a 2-1 win over Bonneville in the Championship, bringing the Bulldogs’ record to 16-2-2.

Inland Empire League Most Valuable Player Daniel Anderson scored the first goal of the game, and IEL Keeper of the Year and Newcomer of the year Erik Wehse got the win in goal.

Quote of the year: “This win today was just like our whole season — it was a total team effort,” said Nostdahl after the championship. “It was our goal to come here and win state, and we came through today. We just kept pushing and pushing until the end.”

n 2009 girls soccer team

ROSTER: Bryce Clark, Nichole Pagano, Elli Kiselica, Sydney Morris, McKinzi Obaitek, Melinda Van Dyk, Kendall Stratton, Hannah Griesemer, Savannah Engel, Maghan Pagano, Courtney Windju, Sophia Meulenberg, Ellie Engel, Jessie Dexter, Maddie Suppiger, Alicia Mertz and head coach Adam Tajan.

Adam Tajan guided the Bulldogs to their fifth title of the decade, and fourth under his stewardship, as the team posted a 14-4-2 record and peaked at state.

Down 2-0 to Bishop Kelly in the first round, the Bulldogs responded with three unanswered goals, then pasted Hillcrest 6-1 and Kuna 7-2 in the final two games en route to the title.

Senior Alicia Mertz was named the IEL Most Valuable Player, senior Elli Kiselica the Defensive Player of the Year, and freshman scoring leader Meghan Pagano the Newcomer of the Year.

Quote of the year: “I’ve never played with a better bunch of girls than this team,” said Mertz after the championship. “We all had the same goal in mind this year, and that was to get it done at state. We were able to stay focused through the ups and downs of the season to accomplish that goal.”