Cast of seniors and defensive toughness propel Pocatello to its first state title
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IDAHO FALLS – Pocatello High has a storied athletic history dating back decades.
Missing from the numerous state banners and trophies is one celebrating a girls soccer title.
That changed Saturday as the Thunder beat perennial power and defending state champion Sandpoint 1-0 in the 5A championship match at Hillcrest High.
“It means the world to us,” said senior Lexi Wells, who scored the game’s only goal in the 31st minute.
Wells called it redemption after Sandpoint beat Pocatello in the state semifinals a year ago.
“We wanted it,” she said. “We worked too hard to not win.”
Two themes that played out during the championship game also were prevalent during the regular season.
First, Pocatello was loaded with an experienced senior class that was focused on eventually making school history.
Secondly, all those cliches about defense winning championship definitely applied to the Thunder.
Pocatello shut out all three opponents in the state tournament behind goalie Kira Jorgensen.
Coach Mark Wetstein credited the senior group on the defensive line — Alivia Marshall, Hallie Bringhurst, and Reagan Lyon for setting a standard during their careers, especially this season when the Thunder recorded 11 shutouts and gave up just two goals during the team’s nine-game win streak to close the season.
“I’m doing everything I can to not start tearing up,” Wetstein said after the trophy presentation. “It’s surreal. It’s amazing. It feels like a huge weight lifted. There’s so many years getting so close and then finally getting over that hump and it couldn’t have been a closer, tougher match.”
Sandpoint (10-6-3) appeared to score first when a free kick found its way into the Pocatello net, but the play was ruled offside.
The Thunder (17-3-0) finally broke through when a long ball down the middle by Hailee Pool found a sprinting Wells, who managed to run it down and get off a shot that found the back of the net.
With the way the defense was playing, Wells said she knew that one goal might hold up.
“I believe in our defense,” she said.
Sandpoint never really threatened in the second half.
After the trophy presentation players posed for photos with teammates and family, passing the coveted trophy around as if to prove it was real. It was a fitting ending for the team’s 14 seniors, Wetstein noted.
“The fact that Poky has never been this far, it’s an amazing feeling,” Wells said, adding she had a premonition about the big game.
“Last night I even had a dream about putting our 2024 (banner) up on the wall,” she said. “For that to be coming true and signing our names on the banner … It means so much for us.”