Pitch split for Glacier, Flathead

Class AA playoff matches next for both schools

In a repeat performance, the Flathead girls and Glacier boys picked up wins versus their crosstown rivals on Saturday. It was the same result as when the teams met in September. This time Flathead girls picked up a 3-2 win, while the Glacier boys evened their overall soccer series with Flathead with a 2-0 victory.

Flathead 3, Glacier 2

If you were searching for a debutante's ball, the soccer pitch at the Kidsports Complex Saturday was the last place to look. That was made clear in the opening minutes of the game, when Glacier forward Maddey Frey, the Western AA's leading scorer, raced to catch up to a pass in the Flathead penalty box.

Running stride for stride was Kalispell sweeper Tess Brenneman. They reached the ball at the same time, and the collision left both girls sprawled on the soggy turf.

Neither, by the way, touched the ball.

And so it went in Flathead's fiercely contested win over Glacier. Brenneman and the Bravette defenders did just enough to slow the Frey Gang, and Flathead's fast strike offense picked up a couple a breakaway goals in the second half to secure the win, as well as the home game in the rematch versus Glacier in the playoffs this week.

Flathead coach Scott Warnell unleashed a pair of freshman defenders on Frey: Brenneman and Meagan Gardner. Gardner had the task of shadowing Frey throughout the contest. They were inseparable on the field, except when the referee had to step in to warn both girls about their physical play.

Freshman Gardner relished the challenge.

"Don't let her turn, stay tight," Gardner said, repeating her assignment after the game. "It was a good feeling to be put on her and shut her down."

Glacier took an early lead when Sidney Sharaf followed Courtney Porch's shot in the first half. Porch drove down the sideline, freeing herself for a shot. Flathead goalie Karli Kusler knocked it down, but in the wild flurry that followed, Sharaf knocked the rebound home.

That was it until late in the half when Meagan Hash fed Kassi Hebert with a nice centering pass. Glacier goalie Kayla Byle raced out of the net to knock down the ball, but couldn't control it. Hebert connected on the open net to even the score.

That's where it stood until midway through the second half when Flathead midfielder Chelsea Shuman - playing as if the knee injury she suffered in the Bravettes' first meeting with Glacier is a thing of the past - sent a long pass to Heidi Windauer. The speedy forward got behind the Wolfpack defense, raced to the penalty box and shot. Byle dove to stop the shot, but couldn't control the ball. Windauer connected on the rebound to put Flathead in the lead.

Shuman added an insurance goal - which comes with a high premium when a scorer like Frey is on the other side of the ball - at the 77:00 mark. Shuman got behind the Glacier defense on a free kick from Kusler, and beat Byle for the score.

Glacier coach Paul Holmgren said his defense moved too far forward on the play.

"We didn't give Karli enough respect," Holmgren said.

Frey answered on the next possession, spinning on a defender from about 20 yards to drive home a score.

Flathead finished the regular season in fourth place in the Western AA at 5-3-4. Glacier is fifth at 4-6-2.

Glacier 1 1 - 2

Flathead 1 2 - 3

Glacier - Sidney Sharaf (Courtney Porch) 17:00, Maddey Frey 78:00

Flathead - Kassi Hebert (Meagan Hash) 39:00, Heidi Windauer 52:00, Chelsea Shuman (Karli Kusler) 77:00

Shots - Glacier 15, Flathead 13

Goalie saves - Glacier 10 (Kayla Byle), Flathead 13 (Karli Kusler)

Corner kicks - Glacier 3, Flathead 4

Fouls - Glacier 13, Flathead 8

Cards - Glacier 1 yellow, Flathead 0

Glacier 2, Flathead 0

Josh Neiman couldn't remember the play. He had his bell rung later in the match and things were still a little foggy shortly after the contest. But his goal in the second half gave Glacier a 1-0 lead, and Brave killer Ron Howell added another as the Wolfpack took the season finale from its crosstown rivals.

Neiman scored off a centering pass from Bryan Edwards. Edwards' perfectly placed pass along the endline found Neiman near the post. He beat Flathead goalie Josh Remington to the ball and was able to scoot it into the net.

"It was a race between me and Jordan to the ball," Neiman said, once reminded by those less foggy about his heroics.

Glacier scored again late in the game to put it out of reach. Sweeper Seth Bumgarner passed the ball into the Flathead penalty box. Jered Rice headed the ball to Howell, who headed a shot at the goal. Remington knocked it down, but Howell followed the rebound for the goal.

Howell had both goals in Glacier's 2-1 over Flathead earlier in the season.

The Wolfpack rode a solid defensive performance to the win, recording its second-straight shutout to end the regular season. Glacier goalie Kasey Haugan had a solid game in the net, and made a diving save in the final minutes to keep Flathead off the board.

"I just really wanted to keep the shutout," Haugan said. "It felt really good afterward."

Flathead coach Chris Putzler said his team had its chances, but didn't execute down the stretch.

"We had some great looks, we just couldn't get them in the net," Putzler said. "In the second half it just didn't happen."

Flathead, 6-5-1, finished third and will host Sentinel in a playoff match this week. Glacier, 5-5-2, finished fifth and will play at Helena Capital.

Glacier 0 2 - 2

Flathead 0 0 - 0

Glacier - Josh Neiman (Bryan Edwards) 61:00, Ron Howell (Jared Rice) 72:00

Shots - Glacier 10, Flathead 14

Goalie saves - Glacier 6 (Kasey Haugan), Flathead 4 (Jordan Remington)

Corner kicks - Glacier 3, Flathead 4

Fouls - Glacier 15, Flathead 20

Cards - Glacier 0, Flathead 1 yellow