Homecoming sweep for Whitefish
Whitefish’s sophomore forward McKinley Adams scores a goal while beating two Bigfork defenders during second-half action Thursday in a Northern A soccer match at Whitefish High School. Garrett Cheen/Daily Inter Lake
The Daily Inter Lake
Hermsdorf, Adams net two goals each in 6-1 win over Bigfork
WHITEFISH - Flex Hermsdorf and Mac Adams had two goals each as Whitefish stayed perfect in Northern A boys' soccer action Tuesday with a 6-1 victory over Bigfork.
Also scoring goals for Whitefish, 4-0 league and 8-0-1 overall, were Patrick Jones and Mark Hotfield.
Whitefish dominated play, outshooting Bigfork on goal 18-3.
The Bulldogs also had a big edge in corner kicks, 7-0.
Whitefish did the bulk of its scoring in the second half with four goals.
"It's frustrating for a coach to play soccer on a football field, but it's wonderful for the players," Whitefish coach O'Brien Byrd said of match held at Memorial Field.
"The atmosphere is great - the lights, the stadium. It was a homecoming game."
Byrd said the Bulldogs struggled in the first half, adjusting to a smaller playing field.
And …
"Bigfork showed more hustle than the first time we played them," he said. "The score line showed that."
Play on the field, however, changed in the final half.
"Center-mids Matt Danczyk, Patrick Jones and Ryan Rouse - those three had a wonderful second half," Byrd said.
"If it wasn't for their affect on the game, the second half could have been much different."
Alec MacCallum had the lone goal for Bigfork.
Bigfork hosts Polson on Thursday. Whitefish is off until Saturday, at Libby.
Bigfork 0 1 - 1
Whitefish 2 4 - 6
Bigfork - Alec MacCallum, 53:00
Whitefish - Patrick Jones, 15:00; Felix Hermsdorf (Fedrico Sau), 39:00; Hermsdorf (Mac Adams), 48:00; Adams (Jones), 68:00; Mark Hotfield (PK), 69:00; Adams (Matt Danczyk), 71:00
Shots on goals - Bigfork 3, Whitefish 18
Corner kicks - Bigfork 0, Whitefish 7
Goalie saves - Bigfork 12 (Zac Hansen), Whitefish 2 (Joe Galbraith)
Fouls - Bigfork 2, Whitefish 5
Cards - None
Girls
Whitefish 4, Bigfork 1
WHITEFISH - Prime Time and the Lady Bulldogs responded in fine fashion.
Whitefish put together a strong second half to down Bigfork in Northern A play.
"It was fun being under the lights on the football field," WHS coach Lini Reading said. "A homecoming crowd and senior night."
Whitefish, on a Carly Lengstorf goal at 19 minutes, led 1-0 at the half. But the second half belonged to the Lady Bulldogs.
Meagan Powell scored nine minutes into the final half and finished up the scoring at 80 minutes.
Hannah Long added a goal at 64 minutes.
"Bigfork played us very well," Reading said.
"They put pressure on us all over the field. We responded OK, tried to do too much individually early in the game."
In the second half, Reading said her players finished and played with more composure.
Bigfork hosts Polson on Thursday, while Whitefish, 4-0 in league and 6-2-0 overall, is off until a Saturday trip to Libby.
Quinci Paine scored for the Valkyries at 68 minutes.
Bigfork 0 1 - 1
Whitefish 1 3 - 4
Bigfork - Quinci Paine, 68:00
Whitefish - Carly Lengstorf, 19:00; Meagan Powell (Kelsey McCluskey), 49:00; Hannah Long (Kylee Smith), 64:00; Powell (Teal Gayner), 80:00
Shots on goal - Bigfork 7, Whitefish 17
Corner kicks - Bigfork 4, Whitefish 6
Goalie saves - Bigfork 10 (Becca Denning), Whitefish 5 (Madisen Cross)
Fouls - Bigfork 7, Whitefish 7
Cards - None