Title time for soccer; playoffs start for football
Champions in Class A and AA soccer will be crowned this weekend in Whitefish, Billings and Helena while football prepares for the first weekend of postseason action in the Class A, B, C (eight-man and six-man) ranks.
The Glacier boys open AA state soccer tournament play on Thursday at Siebel Fields in Helena versus Bozeman at noon. Glacier (4-5-4) is the No. 4 seed from the Western division, while Bozeman is the top seed from the Eastern division.
The Flathead girls, the No. 2 seed from the Western division, face No. 3 Eastern seed Bozeman on Thursday at 2:30 p.m. at Siebel Fields.
The three-day event ends Saturday with championship matches for boys and girls at 12:30 p.m.
Whitefish will host Polson on Saturday at noon at the Rollie and Heide Smith Youth Sports Park Soccer Field for the Class A boys championship.
Both teams are members of Northwestern A.
Whitefish (12-2-0) is sporting an 11-match winning streak.
The Bulldogs defeated Polson (9-3-2) twice earlier this fall in league play.
Billings is the site for the Class A girls state soccer final.
The Billings Central Rams (13-1-1) will tangle with Hamilton (12-2) at Wendy's Field on the campus of Rocky Mountain College.
Billings Central will be looking for its fourth-straight state championship.
According to the Billings Gazette, the Rams (15-0 last year) have posted 11 playoff victories in the last four years. They are unbeaten in 56 of their last 57 matches.
Defending Class B state football champion Bigfork starts postseason action at home versus No. 6 Florence-Carlton (7-1) on Saturday.
Bigfork (7-1) was ranked No. 4 in last week's prep poll.
Also advancing in Class B is Eureka (5-3). The Lions travel to Missoula Loyola for the first round on Saturday. Both are unranked, but received votes in last week's poll.
In Class A, fourth-ranked Polson (8-0), Libby (5-4) and Whitefish (5-3) advance to the playoffs from Northwestern A.
Libby will host Hamilton, while Whitefish travels to Stevensville on Saturday. Polson has a first-round bye.
Class AA football ends its regular-season on Friday.
Soccer
Class AA
Thursday
At Helena
Boys
All matches at noon
Helena High (1W) vs. Great Falls C.M. Russell (4E)
Missoula Hellgate (3W) vs. Billings West (2E)
Bozeman (1E) vs. Glacier (4W)
Billings Senior (3E) vs. Missoula Sentinel (2W)
Girls
All matches at 2:30 p.m.
Helena Capital (1W) vs. Billings Skyview (4E)
Missoula Sentinel (3W) vs. Great Falls C.M. Russell (2E)
Billings Senior (1E) vs. Helena High (4W)
Bozeman (3E) vs. Flathead (2W)
Class A
Saturday
Boys
At Whitefish
Rollie and Heide Smith Youth Sports Park Soccer Field
Noon - Polson vs. Whitefish
Girls
At Billings
Wendy's Field on the campus of Rocky Mountain College.
TBA - Hamilton vs. Billings Central
Football
Class A
Saturday
First Round
Lewistown (3C) at Laurel (2E)
Hamilton (3 SW) at Libby (2NW)
Whitefish (3NW) at Stevensville (2 SW)
Miles City (3E) at Livingston (2C)
NOTE: Billings Central, Dillon, Havre, Polson have first-round byes
Class B
Saturday
First Round
Red Lodge/Belfry at Fairfield
Colstrip at Manhattan/Manhattan Christian
Plentywood/Wesby at Huntley Project
Eureka at Missoula Loyola Sacred Heart
Florence/Carlton at Bigfork
Choteau at Malta/Whitewater/Saco
Columbus at Baker
Ronan at Sweet Grass County
Class C Eight Man
Saturday
Centerville at Fairview
Absarokee at Charlo
Culbertson/Bainville at Chinook
Drummond at White Sulphur Springs
Ennis at Superior
Power/Dutton-Brady at Wibaux County
Lincoln at Twin Bridges
Scobey/Opheim at Chester-Joplin-Inverness
Class C Six Man
Saturday
Valier at Savage
Custer/Melstone at Hot Springs
Hysham at Big Sandy
Lima at Fromberg/Roberts
Reed Point/Rapelje at Alberton
Geraldine/Highwood at Richey/Lambert
Lone Peak at Denton
Terry at Stanford/Geyser