Glacier boys open AA soccer playoffs at Missoula Big Sky

Western AA soccer playoff action begins today with the Glacier boys at Missoula Big Sky and the Missoula Hellgate girls at Missoula Sentinel.

Both matches begin at 4 p.m.

Glacier (0-11-1) is the seventh seed while Big Sky (9-1-2) is the No. 2 seed.

Action resumes in full force on Thursday for the other teams in both Western and Eastern AA.

Flathead’s girls host seventh-seed Missoula Big Sky (2-7-3) on Thursday at Kidsports Complex. Flathead (7-4-1) is the No. 2 seed.

Also on Thursday, fourth-seed Glacier (5-7-0) entertains fifth-seed Helena Capital (3-7-2) at Glacier High School.

Those two matches start at 4 p.m.

The Flathead boys (1-9-2), seeded sixth, play at third-seed Helena High (7-3-2) on Thursday at 4 p.m.

All winners advance to state, Oct. 31-Nov. 2 in Helena.

Big Sky’s boys won both regular-season meeting with Glacier — 6-0 on Sept. 21 in Missoula and 5-1 on Oct. 3 at Glacier.

Big Sky’s Tristan Powers scored four goals, two in each half, of the first matchup.

Big Sky outshot Glacier 15-6 on goal and led in corner kicks 8-2.

Dana Kowachek, who had one goal in the first meeting, scored twice in the second match. Big Sky had 22 shots on goal to eight for Glacier.

Powers, a senior, is second in Western AA scoring with 15 goals and one assist. Kowachek, a junior, is tied for fifth with six goals and six assists.

Big Sky has tallied 39 goals while allowing just six.

Glacier’s numbers are just the opposite — just eight goals tallied while allowing 40.

Connor Brandon scored for Glacier in the second meeting with Big Sky on a penalty kick in the 60th minute.

Class AA Soccer Playoff Schedule

Western AA

Boys

Today

4 p.m. — No. 7 Glacier at No. 2 Missoula Big Sky

Thursday

2 p.m. — No. 5 Missoula Sentinel at No. 4 Helena Capital

4 p.m. — No. 6 Flathead at No. 3 Helena High

Top-seed Missoula Hellgate receives a bye to state

Girls

Thursday

All matches 4 p.m.

No. 7 Missoula Big Sky at No. 2 Flathead

No. 5 Helena Capital at No. 4 Glacier

No. 6 Missoula Hellgate at No. 3 Missoula Sentinel

Top-seed Helena High receives a bye to state

Eastern AA

Boys

Thursday

2 p.m. — No. 6 Billings Skyview at No. 3 Great Falls C.M. Russell

4 p.m. — No. 7 Great Falls High at No. 2 Billings Senior

4 p.m. — No. 5 Butte at No. 4 Billings West

Top-seed Bozeman receives a bye to state

Girls

Thursday

4 p.m. — No. 6 Butte and No. 3 Great Falls C.M. Russell

5:30 p.m. — No. 7 Great Falls High at No. 2 Bozeman

Friday

4 p.m. — No. 5 Billings West at No. 4 Billings Skyview

Top-Seed Billings Senior receives a bye to state