Class A soccer: Kats, Dogs host semifinal matches

Northern A division champions Columbia Falls (girls) and Whitefish (boys) are one victory away from a berth in Class A state soccer championship matches.

The same holds true for the division runner-up Whitefish girls.

All three are in action today with semifinal contests.

Columbia Falls (11-1-1) entertains Livingston (6-4-0) at noon at Flip Darling Memorial Field.

The Whitefish boys (13-0-0) host Frenchtown (8-2-2) at Smith Fields.

And the Whitefish girls 11-3-0) are road warriors, playing at Billings Central (13-0-0) at 10 a.m.

The Whitefish boys and Billings Central girls are defending state champions.

Columbia Falls has not lost since its season opener — 6-0 to Billings Central at home. The Wildkats have outscored the opposition since then 58-9.

“We know it’s going to be a tough game,” Columbia Falls coach Greg Trenerry said of today’s battle with Livingston.

“We’re peaking at the right time.”

This marks the Wildkats third-straight year in the playoffs. In Trenerry’s 16th season, his squads have missed the playoffs just twice.

“We got a good group of freshmen,” he said.

“That has helped us. They have filled in real nice for us.”

All four ninth graders are starters — Katie Hawes, Ashley Miller, Tavia Bechtel and Natasha Martin.

“The main thing is that we have really gelled as a team,” Trenerry said.

“We have a good mixture of seniors, a couple juniors, sophomores and freshman.”

Alexi Corbett leads Columbia Falls in scoring with 14 goals and nine assists.

Danielle Delventhal is next with 12 goals and 10 assists.

Lindsay Strouse has 11 goals and one assist.

Columbia Falls posted seven shutouts in league play and allowed just one goal.

“Kira Kamrud has really had a good year,” Trenerry said of his keeper.

“She worked really hard this summer.

“She’s had a lot of good saves for us. She has kept us in the game, preserved the game or won the game for us. She dives well and positions herself well.”

 Columbia Falls lost in the semis last year to Billings Central. The Wildkats have one state championship — 2004.

 Like Columbia Falls, Whitefish’s semifinal foe is one it has not played during the course of the regular season.

As a result ...

“It will be quite the chess match,” WHS coach O’Brien Byrd said.

“Tactically, we’re prepared for what they can bring. It’s just up to the guys to put the plan into action and get it done.”

Frenchtown and Whitefish both played Stevensville this season, winning by the same score, 4-0.

Frenchtown beat Belgrade last weekend in the playoff quarterfinals, 7-2.

Whitefish blanked Belgrade this season, 7-0.

“They have the potential to score a lot of goals,” Byrd said of Frenchtown.

“We want to play the best game of the season and there is no reason we wouldn’t. Our last two games have been our best performances of the year.”

Sam Donaldson is Whitefish’s scoring leader for a second-straight season. Last year he set a state record with 25 goals. This year he has 22.

“Keeping our focus,” Byrd said of the main thing for the semifinals.

“We have the home- field advantage, but there is also pressure that goes with that.”

In today’s other semifinal match for boys, Stevensville (8-4-1) plays at Billings Central (12-1-0) at  12:30 p.m.