Whitefish soccer teams clinch titles

By GREG SCHINDLER

The Daily Inter Lake

WHITEFISH - The Lady Bulldogs did it again - many of them for the first time.

The Whitefish High School girls' soccer team edged Libby 1-0 Tuesday night, clinching another Northern A title despite graduating 12 seniors from last fall's Class A state championship squad.

Carly Lengstorf launched a majestic strike inside the far post midway through the second half of the defensive slugfest, which was played on a soggy pitch beneath ominous clouds. The contest ended in nearly complete darkness even though both halves were reduced to 35 minutes.

The Lady Bulldogs improved to 6-1 in conference play and 7-4 overall, with only Thursday's match at Columbia Falls remaining. The Lady Loggers fell to 4-2-1 in league and 7-3-1 overall, meaning neither Libby or Columbia Falls (3-2-1 Northern A) can surpass Whitefish's conference mark.

It was the second straight 1-0 game played between two of Northern A's most talented squads, each of which has just two seniors. The Lady Loggers blanked the Lady Bulldogs on Sept. 22.

"It's a young group," Whitefish coach Lini Reading said of the Lady Bulldogs. "It's a pretty new team altogether. I feel badly that we didn't get all the kids in the game tonight, but Libby didn't let us.

"We felt like (the Lady Loggers) had the upper hand in the first half. Even though they weren't creating great scoring opportunities, they were out-hustling us all over. We were playing OK, just not quite good enough."

The Lady Bulldogs out-shot the Lady Loggers 11-5, while goalkeepers Audra Poppen (Libby) and Callie Marsh (Whitefish) snuffed out most scoring chances.

"They've got a good tradition, and they played solid defense," Libby coach Aaron Frohnmayer said of the Lady Bulldogs. "We had a couple opportunities and just were a little unlucky, but it was very much a defensive struggle.

"Quinn Wilson is our sweeper/stopper. She has just been outstanding (all season). She's making goal-saving tackles, and she's just provided our leadership this year."

Lengstorf's goal came courtesy of Madison Ruskit's assist - and some good advice.

"We were trying to start from out wide and get (the ball) sent through into the middle," Lengstorf said. "We've been working on making lateral runs in practice. My defense kept telling me, 'Take shots from outside' … so I finally listened to them and took it from outside and got it on frame."

Reading said the Lady Bulldogs took a while to establish their rhythm, but seniors Alissa LaChance and Kaitlyn Sleichter played through injuries to help Whitefish gain its composure.

"Alissa's got a separated shoulder and Kaitlyn's got a really bad ankle, and they just bore through the pain tonight," Reading said. "I really was doubtful that either of them would make it through half the game, but they are just that kind of kid."

The Lady Loggers host Bigfork on Saturday before heading to the postseason in what should be the start of something special.

"We've been trying to build both the boys' and the girls' programs in Libby, and I think that there is more parity (in the Northern A than in the past)," Frohnmayer said. "We've got a relatively young team. We've got two seniors (Poppen and Trista Berget) who are graduating, and the rest coming back, so we're looking forward to a good run."

Libby 0 0 - 0

Whitefish 0 1 - 1

WHITEFISH - Carly Lengstorf (Madison Ruskit), 57:00

Shots on goal - Lib. 5, WF 11

Corner kicks - Lib. 3, WF 3

Goalie saves - Lib. 7 (Audra Poppen), WF 2 (Callie Marsh)

Fouls - Lib. 4, WF 7

Cards - Lib. 0, WF 2

Bulldogs 4, Loggers 1

WHITEFISH - The Bulldogs clinched the Northern A title with the same staggering fluidity and fire-power that led them to last year's flawless run.

Jonas Magstadt scored two of Whitefish's four first-half goals as the Bulldogs improved to 7-0 in conference and 11-0 overall with their 26th straight victory.

After 18 scoreless minutes, Magstadt broke the game open with two goals in a six-minute span. Preston Taylor and Patrick Jones scored once apiece as Whitefish built a 4-0 halftime lead and held off the second-place Loggers (4-2-1 Northern A).

"Jonas is so dangerous in that, not only does he score goals, but he puts guys in great positions to score, and works tirelessly," Whitefish coach O'Brien Byrd said. "He's a defender's nightmare. If (the opposition) has the ball, he's just all over them, just a little mosquito. He's a triple threat."

Riley Hoyer fed Jay Rosencrantz for a header to put Libby on the board in the 58th minute. The Loggers managed eight shots on goal, but the Bulldogs fired 15, several of which were just off target.

"You can't play a team of this caliber and make mistakes, and when we made mistakes they capitalized on them," Libby coach Mike Wickstrom said. "That's the bottom line: they don't let you make mistakes.

"Obviously they're very good at what they do. I admire the level they play. It's fun to watch unless you're on the receiving end."

The Loggers have had plenty of success this year, with their only other conference loss being a 5-1 home loss to Whitefish on Sept. 22.

"We closed the margin from the previous game," Wickstrom said. "That says we're getting somewhere, but it also shows us where we need to go."

Whitefish went 15-0 en route to last fall's Class A state title. There have been close calls this season just as there were last year, but the Bulldogs continue to save their best soccer for their most important matches.

"We try to play every game the same," Taylor said. "Every game matters because we want to do the same as last year. We just rise to the occasion every time."

The postseason-bound Loggers return home for Saturday's regular season finale against Bigfork, while the Bulldogs visit the rival Columbia Falls Wildcats on Thursday.

"We want to just take it to them and jump into the playoffs on a roll instead of a slump," Byrd said. "It's important for us to keep the momentum going."

Libby 0 1 - 1

Whitefish 4 0 - 4

LIBBY - Jay Rosencrantz (Riley Hoyer), 58:00

WHITEFISH - Jonas Magstadt (Shane Widdifield), 18:00; Magstadt (Preston Taylor), 24:00; Taylor (Magstadt), 32:00; Patrick Jones (Taylor), 36:00

Shots on goal - Lib. 8, WF 15

Corner kicks - Lib. 1, WF 3

Goalie saves - Lib. 8 (Tad Downey), WF 7 (Joe Galbraith)

Fouls - Lib. 8, WF 13

Cards - None

Braves 6, Spartans 1 (Boys)

Luke Fischer scored five second-half goals as the Flathead High School boys' soccer team rallied to a 6-1 victory against visiting Missoula Sentinel on Tuesday.

The defending Class AA state champion Braves fell behind when Charlie Wellert scored in the fifth minute, but Brian Ham tied the Western AA match at 1-all before Fischer went wild.

"(The Spartans) were defending (Fischer) well, the first half especially," Flathead coach Eric Sawtelle said. "They were marking him really tight, he's just an incredible athlete."

Six different Braves notched assists as Flathead out-shot Sentinel (4-4-1) 24-8.

Sentinel 1 0 - 1

Flathead 1 5 - 6

SENTINEL - Charlie Wellert, 5:00

FLATHEAD - Brian Ham (Luke Fischer), 19:00; Fischer (Connor Cavigli), 41:00; Fischer (Jordan Vaughan), 44:00; Fischer (Ham), 63:00; Fischer (Kevin Fraley), 72:00; Fischer (Chris Ruby), 79:00

Shots on goal - Sent. 8, FHS 24

Corner kicks - Sent. 5, FHS 4

Goalie saves - Sent. 12 (Nate Bell), FHS 6 (Vaughan)

Fouls - Sent. 9, FHS 12

Cards - Sent. 2 (yellow), FHS 0

Bravettes 2, Spartans 1 (Girls)

The Bravettes didn't let a 76-minute scoring drought get them down.

Meghan O'Connell scored a spectacular goal in the 78th minute to break a 1-all tie as Flathead improved to 6-0-4.

Ashley Younkin gave the Bravettes a 1-0 lead in the second minute, but Flathead appeared headed to its fifth tie when Sentinel evened the score in the 65th minute.

Then O'Connell went to work, fielding a pass from Younkin and beating one defender on the dribble before sending a 30-yard laser just beneath the crossbar.

"I'm just real pleased that the girls didn't put their heads down after Sentinel scored," Flathead coach Scott Warnell said. "They kept their heads in the game and kept fighting and eventually Meghan was able to put one in at the end of the game.

"Meghan's shot was probably one of the most beautiful shots I've seen in high school soccer."

Sentinel 0 1 - 1

Flathead 1 1 - 2

SENTINEL - NA, 65:00

FLATHEAD - Ashley Younkin (Heidi Windauer), 2:00; Meghan O'Connell (Younkin), 78:00

Shots on goal - Sent. 12, FHS 20

Corner kicks - Sent. 8, FHS 4

Goalie saves - Sent. 10 (Emily Mason), FHS 10 (Danika Pietron)

Fouls - Sent. 7, FHS 4

Cards - None

Bigfork 2, Polson 2 (boys)

BIGFORK - Polson's Keio Salmonson scored the game-tying goal on a direct kick with about five minutes remaining to forge the tie.

Bigfork took a quick 2-0 lead off goals by Roland Benedict and Lael Richmond in the first 12 minutes.

"And then we folded," Bigfork coach Keith Koslosky said. "We thought it was going to be an easy second half and we just came out flat."

Salmonson assisted Steven Roberts for the Pirates' first goal in the 56th minute.

The Vikings out-shot the Pirates 16-10. Koslosky said the shots were evenly distributed between the first and second halfs.

Bigfork keeper Levi Dockstader had five saves, while Polson's Jacob Browne registered two.

The Vikings are 2-4-1 in Northern A play and 3-6-1 overall.

Polson is now 0-6-1 in conference and 0-8-3 overall.

Polson 0 2 - 2

Bigfork 2 0 - 2

BIGFORK - Roland Benedict, 3:00; Lael Richmond (Alec McCallum), 12:00

POLSON - Steven Roberts (Keio Salmonson), 56:00; Salmonson, 75:00

Shots on goal - Pol. 10, BF 16

Corner kicks - Pol. 4, BF 6

Goalie saves - Pol. 2 (Jacob Browne 2), BF 5 (Levi Dockstader 5)

Fouls - Pol. 15, BF 11

Cards - None

Bigfork 2, Polson 1 (girls)

BIGFORK - The Valkyries earned their first conference victory, improving to 1-6 in Northern A play and 3-10 overall.

No other details were reported.