STORY BY MICHAEL DAVID

PHOTOS BY HANK DART

The Sun Valley Community School Cutthroats boys soccer team descended on the Sunway Soccer Complex in Twin Falls this weekend focused on earning the 3A state title that had eluded them all this decade.

And their determination paid dividends as the team defeated American Falls and Bonner’s Ferry on Thursday and Friday, and went on to claim the championship with a 3-1 victory over conference rivals, the Bliss Bears, in the final on Saturday.

But they had to come from behind to do it.

The Bears jumped out to a 1-0 lead before the midpoint of the first half on a penalty kick from their standout forward, Steven Rubio. Rubio’s kick was perfectly placed in the top left corner, just out of the reach of the Cutthroat’s goal keeper Meeks Sanchez-duPont.

The Cutthroats kept the pressure on following the Rubio goal, and finally broke through when junior Ridley Lindstrom beat three Bliss defenders and found the right corner of the net to tie the game at 1-1 and send the large crowd into a frenzy.

Just minutes later, junior Cash Dart slipped one past the Bears goalie to give the Sun Valley team their first lead of the contest, 2-1.

The Cutthroats continued to dominate ball possession in the second half, and their defense, led by senior Henry Cherp and junior Shea Brokaw, prevented Rubio and his teammates from any real scoring chances.

The game remained a tight, one-goal match until Lindstrom struck again to give the Cutthroats some cushion. Lindstrom, the team’s leading goal scorer this season, ripped a shot to the left of the diving Bliss keeper after receiving a beautiful centering pass, completely crossing over and juking the Bear defender.

An uncharacteristically vocal Coach Richard Whitelaw shouted encouragement to his squad as the clock wound down. He began to deliver high fives to his reserves just before the whistle sounded as his team enjoyed the two-goal margin.

With the sweet sound of the referee’s whistle, the celebration on the field and on the sidelines began, as the Cutthroats captured their first state title since 1999. Cherp and senior midfielder Peter Morawitz, who quarterbacked the team all afternoon, were named “men of the match” by their overjoyed coach.

The Cutthroats finished the season 20-2, while the Bears ended the season with a 12-4-5 record.