Late Gagnon goal leads Bulldogs to tie with Vikings

COEUR d’ALENE — Kevin Hampson gave the Vikings the lead in the 72nd minute, but a late goal by Jeremiah Gagnon in the 80th minute earned the Bulldogs a 2-2 tie in nonleague boys soccer Thursday in Coeur d’Alene.

Gagnon’s seventh goal of the season resulted in the second tie this week with a 5A school after a 0-0 result against Lake City on Tuesday.

“We definitely came out a little flat,” Coeur d’Alene coach Jeff Lake said. “We’re a little disappointed with our effort. We responded in the second half, but gave up a goal in the final minutes. Sandpoint played hard and gave us a good game. They didn’t give up and it paid off with them scoring in the 80th minute.”

Trailing 1-0, Ash Dills scored the equalizer in the 53rd minute for the Bulldogs (7-3-2), whose solid defense limited the Vikings (6-2-3) to only three shots on goal. The Vikings scored both of their goals on set pieces in a game Bulldogs’ head coach Adam Tajan felt his team should have won.

“We dominated in nearly every facet of the game, possession, shots, 50/50 balls. I’m really proud of how we played,” said Tajan, lamenting a poor clearance and foul just outside the box, both of which proved costly. “It just takes a couple of mistakes, and you’re going ‘how is it possible that we’re tied?’”

Sandpoint hosts Post Falls on Saturday.

First half — 1, Cd’A, Graison Le (free kick), 23:00. Second half — 2, Spt, Ash Dills (Anthony Fox), 53:00. 3, Cd’A, Kevin Hampson (Matt Hulquist), 72:00. 4, Spt, Jeremiah Gagnon (Joab Logan), 80:00.

Shots on goal — Spt 6, Cd’A 3.

Saves — Spt, Austin Keyes, 1; Cd’A, Keagan Shillington, 4.