Bulldogs roll past Laurel

WHITEFISH - A combination of smooth passing and aggressive defense worked wonders for the Whitefish girls soccer team on Saturday.

Three goals in the first eight minutes and 21 overall shots didn't hurt either.

Three separate girls scored within a five-minute span, including junior co-captain Natalie Gayner, who added two more in the second half, and Whitefish cruised to a 7-2 nonconference win over Laurel.

"We came out really strong. That was exciting, with three different kids scoring," Whitefish coach Erin Morrison said. "We had the urgency. We had the intensity and we started playing our game."

Not at first impression.

Laurel's Alexis Lewis got the Locomotives rolling with a goal two minutes in. The Laurel excitement was short-lived, however, as Presley Pritchard, Charlotte Kamarath and Gayner scored one, two, three just like that, giving Whitefish a tide of momentum that swept throughout the entirety.

"Whitefish is a good team. They did a very nice job of passing the ball all over the field, back, side-to-side, forward. They play well as a unit and they shoot very well," Laurel coach Aloma Jess said.

Laurel managed only one more goal in the game as the Bulldogs defense walled off goalkeeper Callie Marsh, who had seven saves on the day.

"We still need to work on stuff but it's so good to see where we are right now," Morrison said.

"We're a lot further than we were last year and we're just going to go up."

Kamarath finished with two goals and an assist, and Maddy Grady powered in the final goal of the game, sealing the score at 7-2.

"To get a goal in the first three (minutes) and in the last three, that's a coaches' dream," Morrison.

Gayner scored both her goals with quick moves across midfield that Laurel couldn't catch up to.

"We have a really strong team this year and I just have a good feeling about this season," Gayner said.

Whitefish travels to Bigfork on Thursday for a Northern A match starting at 4 p.m.

Whitefish 4 3 - 7

Laurel 2 0 - 2

L - Alexis Lewis, 2:00

WF - Presley Pritchard, 3:00

WF - Charlotte Kamarath, 6:00

WF - Natalie Gayner (Kamarath), 8:00

L - Lewis, 21:00

WF - Kamarath, 36:00

WF - Gayner, 43:00

WF - Gayner (Sam Dittman), 53:00

WF - Maddy Grady, 77:00

Shots on goal - Laurel 10, Whitefish 21; Goalie saves - Laurel 10, Whitefish 7 (Callie Marsh); Corner kicks - Laurel 1, Whitefish 7; Fouls - Laurel 0, Whitefish 2; Cards - None.

Billings Central 6, Bigfork 0

BIGFORK - For 60 minutes, Bigfork hung with the two-time defending state champs. Then the Rams turned it on and scored five goals in the final 20 minutes, cruising to a nonconference victory.

"I think at the end there they lost their concentration a little bit and their conditioning," Bigfork head coach Charlie Appleby said.

Bigfork (0-3) hosts Stillwater Christian on Tuesday.

Billings Central 1 5 - 6

Bigfork 0 0 - 0

BC - Kayla Lucas, 23:00

BC - Ryanne Frazier (Jaelene Zygmond), 60:00

BC - Zygmond (Jackie Elliot), 74:00

BC - Alli Lucas (Elliot), 76:00

BC - Holly Davison (Elliot), 78:00

BC - Elliot (Davison), 80:00

Shots on goal - Billings Central 18, Bigfork 2; Goalie saves - Billings Central 1 (Hadley Ryan), Bigfork 6 (Sierra Fischer); Corner kicks - Billings Central 2, Bigfork 0; Fouls - Billings Central 8, Bigfork 2; Cards - None.

Belgrade 3, Columbia Falls 1

BELGRADE - Belgrade kept Columbia Falls on its heels with 17 shots en route to a nonconference victory.

Danielle Delventhal scored the Wildkats' lone goal off a direct kick in the first half. Columbia Falls' keeper Niesha Thompson made 12 saves.

The Wildkats host Libby on Saturday at 1 p.m.

Columbia Falls 1 0 - 1

Belgrade 2 1 - 3

B - Becca Tilleman (Annie Prickett), 4:00

CF - Danielle Delventhal (direct kick), 29:00

B - Shelby Erdahl (Kayla Novotny), 33:00

B - Erdhal (Prickett), 44:00

Shots: CF 5, Bel 17. Corner kicks: CF 2, Bel 4. Fouls: CF 11, Bel 5. Saves CF 12 (Niesha Thompson), Bel 4 (Harper Jakob 4).