Diggers’ three-peat built on a winning culture

SUGAR CITY — Few high school sports teams across the state have enjoyed the wave of success currently ridden by the Sugar-Salem girls’ soccer team.

The Diggers have won three straight state titles, losing just once in that span. Additionally, Sugar-Salem came just short of matching a program record for goals allowed this season, going 18-0 and finishing, once again, with a trophy in their collective arms.

As head coach Scott Terry explained to EastIdahoSports.com, success is a product of the winning culture they have cultivated at Sugar-Salem. That culture was exemplified by this year’s seniors, who were willing to put in extra work and even move to an unfamiliar position for the betterment of the team.

“They accept it and are willing to do whatever to make this team better. That really stood out with this group a lot,” Terry said of his massive senior class. “It starts with the other leaders on our team. They do a really good job of not just holding themselves accountable but doing the same thing to their teammates. I think, that’s made a massive difference these last few years.”

Despite winning back-to-back titles, Terry wasn’t certain about the potential of this year’s squad. That is, until the team passed a couple of early season tests.

After beating Preston 12-0 to start the season, the Diggers hosted 6A Meridian. As Terry said, regardless of past or present records, bigger schools always present a challenge to smaller schools, if for nothing else the sheer numbers on the sideline.

Before the game, Terry recalled telling his wife that he would have accepted a tie.

Then the game started and Meridian grabbed an early 1-0 advantage. But Sugar-Salem finished that game in a 6-2 victory.

“That game stands out because I thought, ‘OK, maybe this is a different group than what I thought I had.,'” Terry said.

A few weeks later, they played 5A Pocatello — the only team to beat them during their recent run of championship success.

The Diggers beat the Thunder 7-3, and Terry had all the information he needed about the team he had.

“These guys are not afraid of anyone,” he said. “As a coach, it’s your job to worry about everyone and everything … but the girls never flinched — I was really impressed.”

After a dominant run through conference play, including a 7-0 home victory over a fast-emerging Marsh Valley team, the only questions remaining were if the team could finish the deal and grab another banner, and if they could do it without allowing another goal.

No Digger team had ever allowed fewer than six goals in a season, and after surrendering one to Firth this year’s team had allowed a matching six.

They carried 12 clean sheets into the state tournament, but allowed a goal to Fruitland in the state semis — No. 7 on the season. Terry said the girls were a bit frustrated, despite their 7-1 win for a spot in the championship game, because of the history involved.

But they came out and posted another zero, beating the Marsh Valley Eagles 4-0 to finish the season with a 150-7 (plus-143) goal differential.

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And there are no signs of slowing down — at least when it comes to the culture of winning. With just one junior returning to serve as a lone senior on next year’s roster, the 12-month plan of hard work is so ingrained that younger girls are stepping into leadership roles.

“I come into school in the morning, and I already see them working in the weight room before school, recruiting other players to come and do it with them,” Terry said. “It’s just been a constant process, and I think that’s what’s been so impressive about these girls and the program as a whole: the buying in from everybody, top to bottom, has been so clear.”

That culture also looks pretty good when your one senior is Andee Petterson, a First-Team All-State performer who was among the state’s leading goal-scorers as a junior this year.

“I’ll look to her as a vocal leader, and there’s no doubt that she will do it on the field because she always does that,” Terry said of Petterson.