Bulldog girls punch ticket to state tourney

SANDPOINT — Many on the Bulldog girls soccer team waited a year for the chance to exact some revenge against Moscow, and coupled with the pressure of either moving on to state or going home, things were understandably tense for the first 50 scoreless minutes of the 4A Region 1 championship game on Tuesday at Pine St Field.

Then Corinne Ariss corralled a corner kick from Emma Weme, punched the ball past the Moscow keeper for a goal, igniting a rally and leading the Bulldogs to a 3-0 blanking of the Bears and a berth in the 4A state tournament.

Emma Weme nailed a penalty kick 10 minutes later and Sierra Scott beat a defender and slotted the final insurance goal for the surging Bulldogs (10-3-4), who extended their unbeaten streak to 12 straight games.

“We’re peaking at the right time. We’ve played our best soccer in the last three games of the season,” said Bulldogs head coach Conor Baranski, praising Ariss’s goal. “That was Corinne clearly being hungrier than anybody else to get to the ball. That’s a leadership goal right there.”

It was the fifth goal of the season for Ariss, who despite anchoring the defense is a dangerous weapon at times in the attacking third. After the game she couldn’t remember what was going through her head after the goal.

“I don’t even know, I was so excited,” she said. “I knew we were going to win after that. We just needed one spark.”

Scott was once again a difficult mark in the middle of the attack, drawing the penalty that led to Weme’s eighth goal of the season, then finding the back of the net shortly after for her team-high 15th goal.

“It (the win) means so much because we’re such a close team and we want it so much,” said Scott, happy to erase the taste of last season. “The thought of last year fueled us to play our hardest.”

For Weme, who sets the tone with a brisk and steady pace of play, the win was a year in the making. Having played at state in her first two years, missing out as a junior stung, and she’s thrilled to be heading back as a senior.

“It was the best feeling, I’m so happy for my team,” said Weme, who sent some nice service on corner kicks. “I’ve been looking forward to this game since last year.”

Makayla Sundquist stopped three shots for her fifth shutout of the season, including a diving stop of what looked like a sure goal in the first half. The back four of Ariss, Madi Schoening, Alanna Robinson and Ashtyn Evans garnered high praise from Baranski, after holding the Bears (5-5-6) without a shot in the second half.

“They absolutely deserved a shutout,” said Baranski. “All four were very on point and I think that will continue at state.”

Sandpoint opens the state tournament on Thursday, at Brothers Park in Caldwell.

First half — None. Second half — 1, Spt, Corinne Ariss (Emma Weme), 50:00. 2, Spt, Weme, penalty kick. 3, Spt, Sierra Scott (Kaylee Kiebert), 66:00.

Shots on goal — Mos 4, Spt, 7.

Saves — Mos, Deven Chandler, 4; Spt, Makayla Sundquist, 3.