Canyon Ridge, Wendell boys, Buhl girls soccer punch tickets to state

TWIN FALLS, Idaho (KMVT/KSVT) — There were four games featuring our area teams on Saturday and all four had state soccer tournament berths on the line.

Starting in 6A with both the boys and girls teams from Canyon Ridge as they hosted a pair of state play-in games on Saturday starting with the boys team taking on Highland.

After a scoreless first half, senior Blake Shultz would score in the seventy-seventh minute to give the Riverhawks the lead.

Highland, however, would respond with a long-distance shot minutes later to tie the game.

It appeared there was going to be a Golden Goal situation, but then Canyon Ridges Ethan Williams converted in the final seconds to give the Riverhawks a 2-1 win.

“Coach (Corey Farnsworth) told us before the game that it’s 80 minutes it’s not 100 minutes, it’s not PKs,” junior goalkeeper Hunter Brewer told KMVT. “We knew this was our last chance for state and we had to push through,” Ethan Williams added.

Canyon Ridge’s boys team qualified for the 6A State Tournament in its first year in the classification, which is incredible for the program.

Next up it was the girls hosting the Madison Bobcats.

The Riverhawks let a goal in the opening minutes before Madison would strike twice more to lead 3-0 at the half.

Canyon Ridge would pull one back but fall 3-1 to Madison to end their season.

The 6A boys state soccer tournament will be held in Coeur d’Alene from Oct. 24-26.

The other games took place in 4A where the Buhl girls hosted Kimberly with a trip to state on the line.

Kimberly opened the scoring on a Haley Bitner goal in the first half and keeper Lexi Brewer made some great saves to send the Dawgs to half with a 1-0 lead.

Then Kierra Thompson took the game over scoring twice in the second half to power the Indians comeback and send them into the 4A girls state tournament in Post Falls.

On the 4A boys side Wendell and Gooding were looking to make it to Post Falls as well, and it would come to one final game at the home of the Trojans.

And like the Buhl game, the visiting Senators jumped out to the early lead thanks to a goal from Christian Tule and held that advantage until the half.

Early in the second the Trojans found a wide open Cesar Camargo in the box for a header goal to tie things up at one, and Jeffery Gonzalez had a chance to put the Trojans up with a penalty kick, but his attempt rang off the post and out of bounds.

It came all the way down to stoppage time and once again Wendell was able to draw a penalty kick, this time with a chance to decide the game.

And it was Camargo again for the Trojans who stepped up to take the shot and delivered giving Wendell a 2-1 victory and sends them on to state.

Brackets for the state soccer tournaments will be announced Sunday morning and posted on KMVT.com

Copyright 2024 KMVT. All rights reserved.