Valley soccer teams begin state cup quests
Kalispell, Whitefish host 70 games today
All teams begin postseason play with clean slates and title aspirations. But championship dreams most often come true for highly-seeded squads.
The Flathead Valley boasts six teams seeded third or higher at the National Championship Montana State Cup soccer tournament, which begins at 8 a.m. today in Kalispell and Whitefish.
Two Flathead Force squads lead the way as coach Rich DeJana's U-13 girls and coach Patrick Madigan's U-15 boys own No. 1 seeds.
Madigan's team went undefeated against state foes this year (6-0-2) while also competing in Idaho and Canada.
"Defensively, we've been very strong this year, and we've let very few goals in," Madigan said. "I think, offensively, we've been working very, very hard to improve over the last few weeks."
Goalkeeper Caleb Allen-Schmid, sweeper Seth Bumgarner, and midfielder Alec MacCallum are the Force's captains and three of its top players
According to Madigan, his team thrives on unselfish, gritty play, highlighted by a 1-0 regular season victory over Billings. But an undefeated mark means little at state, where all teams begin with fresh records.
"It's going to be a very tough tournament," Madigan said. "We have told our team that it's going to be very competitive, and the games are going to be very close. I'm proud of the kids and what they've accomplished, but every game is going to be very difficult."
Three local teams earned No. 2 seeds this year: Flathead's U-15 girls and Glacier United's U-14 and U-17 boys.
Flathead U-15 girls coach Mike Stebbins is content with his team's position.
"You never want to be rated first going into the tournament, anyway," Stebbins said. "Too much pressure. I like being rated second - it takes the pressure off the girls."
Stebbins' girls are 7-2-1 heading into today's opener against the Great Falls Thunderbolts in Kalispell. The Force have beaten the Thunderbolts twice this year.
"It's always scary to play them a third time," Stebbins said.
But Stebbins' club has enough talented players to make sure Great Falls' third try isn't a charm.
Maddey Frey helped the Flathead High School Bravettes take third at state as a freshman last fall. She leads the Force with 15 goals, followed by Jenna Mace (seven) and Meredith Reed (four).
Skyler St. Onge leads the club with six assists, followed by Mace and Chelsea Shuman with four apiece.
Molly Benedetto - the Bravettes' reserve goalkeeper a year ago - anchors the Force's defense at sweeper, along with defensive midfielder Sydney Sharaf and goalkeeper Kayla Byle.
Stebbins has coached his group for three seasons, joining them at the U-13 level in 2005.
"There's been a steady improvement over the last three years," Stebbins said. "These girls are at a point where they're playing very good soccer. I think their biggest improvement this year has been in their passing and ball control."
Glacier's U-14 boys began the year with two straight losses, but lost just once more the rest of the way. Coach B.J. Gamble said his team found its groove two or three weeks into the season while drastically improving its strength and fitness.
"I don't know if we're the most skilled, but we've got very good size," Gamble said. "We're fast and strong."
Brendan Hagan leads Glacier with 19 goals. Mac Adams is another talented offensive threat.
Right fullback Hunter Madich and sweeper Matt Danczyk key Glacier's imposing defense.
"Those guys are solid defenders," Gamble said. "They've been a lot of the reason for our success. Teams don't really score on us very easily with those two guys in the back."
Albert Pete coaches Glacier's U-17 boys.
A No. 3 seed, Flathead Force's U-16 boys begin against the Missoula Strikers with a 5-3-2 mark.
Force coach Chris Haugan has led his boys since their U-12 days.
"It's been really rewarding for me," Haugan said. "When we started, these were young guys, and we didn't do real well early on. So it's been really neat to watch these guys develop as players, and as young men, too."
Haugan's squad reached the U-15 state championship game last year and looks poised for another deep run.
The Force offense is led by forwards Taylor Graham, Cameron Clevidence and Evan McClellan, along with midfielders Jared Rice and Kyle Dixon.
Sweeper Ryan Corbett, stopper Colin Gaiser and goalkeeper Kasey Haugan are "good and strong," according to coach Haugan.
"Our style is built on working together, teamwork," coach Haugan said. "Not a real direct, long-ball style, but more of a possession and ball-control style of play."
Thirty-nine games will be played at Kalispell's Kidsport Complex today, along with 31 at Smith Fields in Whitefish.
The tournament continues Sunday at 8 a.m. with championship matches Monday morning at 9 in Kalispell.
Champions in each division advance to the Far West Regionals, beginning June 18 in Las Vegas. Far West Regional winners move on to Nationals in Frisco, Texas, July 24-29.