Preview: First look as area teams compete for state trophies

IDAHO – Soccer state champions will be crowned this week as six area boys teams and eight girls teams converge on the Boise region for the 6A, 5A, and 4A state tournaments, which begin Thursday and run through Saturday.

Here’s a look at area teams competing.

BOYS

6A
At Eagle HS, final at Rocky Mountain HS

Rocky Mountain is the top seed and Thunder Ridge is No. 2 after finishing 17-1-0 and winning the 6A High Country Conference.

The Titans will play No. 7 and conference foe Canyon Ridge (9-5-3) at 3 p.m. on Thursday in the tournament opener.

Canyon Ridge knocked off Highland in double overtime in the district tournament, winning on penalty kicks to advance.

Thunder Ridge beat Canyon Ridge three times during the regular season and district tournament.

5A
At Columbia HS

Blackfoot has been one of the area’s most consistent boys teams and enters the state tournament 8-3-4 after beating regular-season champion Idaho Falls 3-0 in the district tournament.

The Broncos, who took home a third-place trophy last season, are seeded fifth and play No. 4 Twin Falls at 11 a.m.

Skyline beat Idaho Falls in the play-in game to earn the conference’s second spot at the state tournament.

The Grizzlies (9-7-4) are seeded sixth and take on No. 3 Sandpoint at 1 p.m.

From District 5, Pocatello (7-5-3) earned the No. 8 state seed after beating Century twice in the district tournament, including a double-overtime 1-0 win in the final.

Pocatello plays No. 1 seed Vallivue at 9 a.m.

4A
At Owyhee HS

Teton upended perennial power Sugar-Salem 4-3 on penalty kicks in the district final to earn the lone berth to the state tournament.

The Timberwolves (11-2-3) are seeded fifth and play Sun Valley at 11 a.m.

Marsh Valley (11-5-3) finished with five straight wins, including a 2-1 overtime victory over American Falls in the district tournament.

The No. 8 Eagles play top-seeded CDA Charter at 9 a.m.

GIRLS

6A
At Rocky Mountain HS

Highland cruised through the 6A High Country Conference unbeaten has won 11 straight matches entering the state tournament.

The Rams are the top scoring team in 6A, averaging 5.28 goals per game while giving up just 0.83 goals.

The surprise team of the bracket is Rigby, which was 0-8 in conference and winless on the season before beating Thunder Ridge, Madison (on penalty kicks), and then beating Canyon Ridge 1-0 in the district tournament to earn the state tournament berth.

Highland is seeded sixth and plays No. 3 Boise at 1 p.m.

Rigby is the eighth seed and faces No. 1 Timberline at 9 a.m.

5A
At Middleton HS

Hillcrest is the top seed at the state tournament after winning a top-heavy 5A High Country Conference.

The Knights are 17-0-1 and have one of the top scoring offenses in 5A at 4.67 goals per game.

Hillcrest faces No. 8 Sandpoint at 9 a.m.

Skyline (14-3-2) held off a good Idaho Falls team 1-0 at the district tournament to advance to state.

The Grizzlies are seeded third and play Valliviue at 1 p.m.

Defending state champion Pocatello is back in the state tournament as a seventh seed and plays No. 2 Twin Falls.

Pocatello (8-10-0) had lost five of seven since a regular-season loss at Twin Falls, but beat Century and Preston to earn the conference’s berth to state.

4A
At Meridian HS

Sugar-Salem has won 29 consecutive games dating back to last season and looks for a third straight state title.

The Diggers (15-0-0) average nearly nine goals per game while giving up just 0.40 with 11 shutouts on the season.

They will take on Timberlake at 9 a.m.

Marsh Valley and American Falls from the South East Idaho Conference also earned bids.

Marsh Valley (16-4-1 overall) was unbeaten in conference play and beat American Falls (13-4–0) twice.

The two meet in the first round of the state tournament at 1 p.m.