Bulldogs beat Bishop Kelly in thriller, advance to state title game

CALDWELL — Finally, the Sandpoint girls soccer senior class can say they beat Bishop Kelly.

After falling to the Knights in the 4A state title three years in a row, the Bulldogs (13-3) beat Bishop Kelly in penalty kicks Friday in the state semifinals to advance to the state championship.

The final score was 0-0 but Sandpoint edged out Bishop Kelly 10-9 after 13 rounds of penalty kicks to end the Knights’ 84-game unbeaten streak.

But one player may have decided the outcome of the game and that player was Sandpoint junior goalkeeper Hattie Larson.

Bulldogs head coach Conor Baranski was blown away by her performance.

“I think the difference between the two teams today was Hattie Larson,” he said. “That is one of the greatest performances by an athlete that I have ever watched. She was undeniably the hero. I hugged her after the game and I got teary-eyed ... I’m getting teary-eyed again. I can not believe how talented, hard working and tough she is and she was. She absolutely saved that game for us.”

Baranski said the Knights (18-1-1) had a handful of high quality scoring chances but Hattie Larson came up big whenever they needed her.

“If she doesn’t get MVP of the entire tournament because of that performance something’s wrong,” he said. “Everybody who watched would agree.”

Junior Aspen Larson scored the game winning penalty kick goal for the Bulldogs and now Sandpoint will face Kuna (18-2-1) in the state championship game 6 p.m. PT Saturday at Middleton High School.

“We got to watch [Kuna Thursday],” Baranski said. “From what I watched they look like a good team but they look like a team that if we play well, we should beat.”

Shots on goal — Sandpoint 8, Bishop Kelly 13

Saves — Sandpoint, Hattie Larson, 25. Bishop Kelly, Natalie Phillips, 5.