Glacier upends Big Sky, again
Glacier overcame an early deficit with overwhelming pressure from its midfield and forwards, topping Missoula Big Sky 4-3 in a playoff match to advance to the Class AA state boys soccer tournament for the first time since 2011.
Big Sky broke open the scoring four minutes into the contest with Eagles senior forward Dana Kowachek slotting home a goal in a crowd.
The goal was reminiscent of the last contest between the two teams that saw Big Sky score two early goals before Glacier could answer, eventually forcing a draw.
But, the Wolfpack had none of that drama this time around, answering the Eagles goal with waves of pressure from its midfield and forwards.
“Sometimes that’s what you need,” Glacier coach Ryan Billiet said.
“I thought we found our flow early on, played really well. We possessed the ball really well in the midfield, we were dangerous going forward.”
The onslaught started with a strike from senior forward Kade Deleray, whose shot rang off the crossbar and ricocheted over to midfielder Rohit Tappeta. Tappeta’s cross in front of the net was deflected by a Big Sky defender into the net to even the score for the Wolfpack.
On Glacier’s next offensive rush, it was awarded a corner kick that saw Tappeta get credit this time, flicking a service from Brandon Purdy inside the nearside post to give the Wolfpack a lead.
After ringing another shot off the crossbar, Deleray found Colton Becker on a through ball in the 21st minute, which Becker touched once before firing past the Big Sky keeper for a 3-1 lead.
“We could’ve really put a lot of goals away early on,” Billiet said.
Big Sky answered with a goal from Matthew Tillman, but Deleray broke through just minutes later, scoring on a penalty kick after Glacier was held in the box on a free kick, giving the Wolfpack a 4-2 lead at halftime.
“You always have chances that don’t go in,” Deleray said.
“We just kept pushing. We knew we were going to get goals if we kept pressuring like that and they came.”
Glacier kept the pressure on in the second half, to less results. Purdy found the post on a rip from the left side, Deleray nearly saw a ball slip through the Big Sky keeper’s grip for another and the Eagles cleared a corner kick off the goal line.
However, it was the Wolfpack defense that shined in the second half, keeping the sheet clean outside of a late penalty kick goal from Kowachek. Keeper Ryker McIntyre stonewalled Kowachek and Tillman in one-on-one attempts and the defense twice took the ball off the feet of Big Sky forward Sam McKay in the box on another try.
“It’s been like that all year, why not another dramatic ending?” Billiet said.
“[The defense has] come on and gotten better and better every game. They shut down a very dynamic front three and Ryker in goal, I keep saying is the best in the state, he proved it today.”
After the Kowachek penalty kick, the Wolfpack killed the remaining five minutes of play, possessing the ball in the Big Sky end.
“Everybody stepped up, everybody played for our seniors and the rest of our team, it was great,” Deleray said.
The win, coupled with Flathead’s win against Helena High, has Glacier as the three seed from the West in the state championship next week.
Big Sky 2 1 — 3
Glacier 4 0 — 4
MISSOULA BIG SKY — Dana Kowachek, 4:00; Matthew Tillman, 24:00; Kowachek (penalty kick), 76:00
GLACIER — Big Sky own goal, 6:00; Rohit Tappeta (Brandon Purdy), 8:00; Colton Becker (Kade Deleray), 21:00; Deleray (penalty kick), 29:00
Shots on goal — Big Sky 18, Glacier 21. Saves — Big Sky 14, Glacier 16. Corner kicks — Big Sky 5, Glacier 4. Fouls — Big Sky 12, Glacier 7. Yellow cards — Big Sky 1.