AA soccer: Glacier finishes Bravettes

The Glacier Wolfpack opened with a bang and held on for a 2-1 win over the Flathead Bravettes Wednesday to punch its ticket to the girls Class AA state soccer tournament for the first time since 2009.

After finishing fourth and fifth in Western AA, the two Kalispell schools were pitted against each other in a one-game playoff to determine who would reach the state tournament.

“This is just a huge win,” Glacier senior striker Anna Deleray said. “We knew coming into the game that Flathead was going to give it everything they had, and we wanted to come out and be the better team and get to state.”

With a state tournament berth on the line, Glacier coach Brenden Byrd said he was thrilled with the way his team stepped up to the challenge.

“The girls just put everything into it,” he said. “I told them before the game that both teams are going to play the game of their lives. I said the team that wants it more is going to come out on top. Players like Anna Deleray, (goalkepper) Shaniya Carey, our back line, center mids, everyone just came out and laid down the law.”

Flathead won both regular season games against Glacier and hadn’t lost to its crosstown rival since 2009, but any mental edge that may have given the Bravettes dissipated in the third minute when Deleray hammered a shot into the upper-left corner of the net.

“It was definitely good for our confidence,” Glacier right back Sara Burch said of the early goal. “It kind of got us into our game.”

Glacier midfielder Madison Zirker sparked the counter-attack with a quick pass to Deleray at midfield. Deleray streaked up the right flank toward the Flathead goal and fired when she got just inside the 18-yard box.

“Right away we got that confidence behind us and then we were on the attack,” Glacier coach Brenden Byrd said. “That was probably the difference for us.”

Inspired by Deleray’s goal, Glacier ratcheted up its offensive pressure in a dominant first half. Deleray put Glacier’s second shot on target in the 12th minute, but Flathead goalkeeper Payton Pietron knocked it away. Pietron denied Deleray a second time in the 17th minute with a diving save, but Glacier kept coming.

Freshman Alysha Smith took her first shot in the 26th minute, but the ball took a deflection off Deleray and went over the Flathead net for a goal kick. Kendall Halliburton had a great chance two minutes later, but fired just over the crossbar.

After those close calls, Flathead woke up offensively and began to put some shots on target. Stephanie Wilson put Flathead’s first shot on frame in the 29th minute, but it was blocked at the edge of the 6-yard box by Zirker. Flathead’s Jacquelyn Merrill rattled a shot off the crossbar a minute later, and the score remained 1-0 at halftime.

Much like the first half, Glacier opened the second strong and was rewarded with a 50th-minute goal. Deleray received a pass from Zoe Breeding in Glacier’s offensive third, turned toward goal and struck a bullet into the upper-left corner from 23 yards out.

Flathead mounted its best offensive pressure in the final 11 minutes. Malia Ozegovich hit the crossbar twice during that stretch and Burch saved a goal with a clearance from her own goal line. The Bravettes finally found the back of the net in the 80th minute when Wilson knocked in a cross played in front from the right corner, but the referee blew the final whistle seconds after the ensuing kickoff.

Deleray said the difference between this game and Glacier’s two regular season losses to Flathead was the stakes.

“If we didn’t win, we’re done, so we had to pull through,” she said.

With the loss, Flathead failed to qualify for the state tournament for the first time since 2009.

“I knew Glacier was going to come out real hard,” Flathead coach Scott Warnell said. “We were right there with them. We hit four posts today, so we were right there, but things went their way and not ours.”

Glacier opens the state tournament Oct. 25 against Bozeman, the top seed from Eastern AA. The tournament will be held at Kidsports complex in Kalispell Oct. 25-27.

Glacier 1 1 — 2

Flathead 0 1 — 1

G - Anna Deleray, 3:00

G - Anna Deleray (assist Zoe Breeding), 50:00

F - Stephanie Wilson, 80:00

Shots - Glacier 20, Flathead 19. Saves - Glacier 10 (Shaniya Carey), Flathead 10 (Payton Pietron). Corner kicks - Glacier 3, Flathead 2. Total fouls - Glacier 9, Flathead 3. Yellow cards - none. Red cards - none.