HONORABLE MENTION

White Pine wars (1A): The 1A White Pine league is wasting no time getting to the meat of the schedule as three league games kick off Friday, including Clearwater Valley vs. Nezperce, the unofficial first game of the season time-wise. Lapwai travels to Genesee and Timberline (Weippe) entertains Kendrick later Friday.

 

AROUND THE STATE

Aberdeen (2A) at American Falls (3A): The 2A Tigers travel 15 miles south on Highway 39 to take on the 3A Beavers. American Falls finished 2-8 last season, but the Beavers have experienced players returning, including junior quarterback Justin Kress.

McCall-Donnelly (2A) at Orofino (2A): The Vandals move down to the 2A ranks this year and will meet all three teams from the Central Idaho Conference to start the season, starting with Orofino. The Maniacs return to the 2A ranks after one season at 3A.

Weiser (3A) at Emmett (4A): The 3A Wolverines travel 50 miles up Highway 52 to take on the 4A Huskies. Emmett has been winless the past two seasons, but the Huskies' last victory was against ... you guessed it, Weiser.

Shelley (4A) at Bonneville (4A): After winning three state titles in the 3A ranks since 2003, the Russets move up to 4A and the already tough High Country Conference, where they open with a league game on the road at Stinger Stadium. The Bees return quarterback Parker Buck, who will play for his dad, longtime coach Mitch Buck.

Minico (4A) at Century (4A): The Spartans and Diamondbacks both made the 4A playoffs out of the Great Basin Conference in 2009. Century lost 20 of 22 starters from last season, so the young Diamondbacks will be tested early.

West Side (2A) at Firth (2A): The Cougars were down last year, but Firth's legacy and 17 returning players should mean a return to form. West Side, out of Dayton in the southeast corner of the state, lost in the first round of the 2A playoffs in 2009.

Idaho Falls (5A) at Pocatello (4A): These are two perennial contenders, both coming off first-round playoff losses in 2010. With legendary coach Tom Harrison (10 state titles overall) on the sidelines, the 4A Indians can play with anyone.

Centennial's Sofia Huerta (9) is headed to Santa Clara next season. (Photo by Anne Cirillo)

"Our goal is to win a state championship this year; but if we didn't, I guess it wouldn't be the end of the world," Huerta said as her voice trailed off.

Maybe not Armageddon end of the world, but for someone as competitive as Huerta, it will definitely be the end of something should Centennial fail to win the state crown in 5A girls soccer.

With her feisty competitive nature, Huerta isn't willing to settle for a third place or consolation trophy, the high school sports version of the "My parents went to Hawaii and all I got was this crappy t-shirt" shirt. She makes it clear that she's about winning and winning as a team.

"Our team is so connected and we have so much chemistry," Huerta said. "Winning with these girls means so much to me. My freshman and sophomore and junior years, I always thought I had one more chance, but this is my senior year and I know this is it. I just need to play as best as I can. I don't want to regret anything later on in life."

For someone with such a bright future, Huerta's sense of clarity regarding the present is the kind of focus she needs to help Centennial breakthrough and finally win the school's first title in girls soccer.

After this season, Huerta will follow in the footsteps of her older sister, Andrea Huerta, and play Division I soccer. While Andrea transferred to Boise State (where she tore her ACL after her junior season and was forced to quit), Sofia is headed to Santa Clara.

But despite the bright future that awaits her, all Huerta can talk about is her team.

So irked by a recent article about her in a national publication, Huerta began a personal campaign to refute a nagging fact presented in the story - that Huerta has set eclipsing 100 goals in her career as a goal for her senior season.

"Let me set the record straight - I don't want to score 100 goals," Huerta said emphatically. "That is not my No. 1 goal in high school. I don't care if I score or get an assist. Winning is what I'm focused on.

"Reaching 100 goals scored would be sweet, but I'm not thinking about that. If I were to try to play thinking about getting my 100 goals, our team is not going to get very far. Soccer is a team sport and you can't win it by yourself."

And with that statement, Huerta buried that supposed quest like she's buried 68 goals in the back of the net in her first three seasons with Centennial.

When asked what ingredient was missing from past seasons that appears to be present this year, Huerta was quick to answer.

"Team bonding," Huerta said. "We hang out together and we get along so well."

And the Centennial girls team make team bonding sound like a fun, campy teen movie.

According to Huerta, the entire team recently spent the night at her house, beginning with dinner and followed by a water balloon attack from the boys team, a late-night trip to Wal-Mart, and toilet papering the house where the boys team was staying.

It was so much fun that a neighbor called the police to report a large teen party taking place. But it was just 23 teen-aged girls - bonding.

"We have a lot of fun together off the field, and I think it shows on the field when we're playing," Huerta said.

As a state champion in the 300-meter hurdles for three straight years, Huerta quickly dismisses any individual accomplishment.

"After you win in track, it's no big deal," Huerta said. "You have nobody to celebrate with. It was something you accomplished by yourself. But not soccer-there's just something about winning as a team."

- Jason Chatraw, jason@idahosports.com