Class A soccer: Polson boys, Columbia Falls girls lead local All-State picks
The conference champion Columbia Falls Wildkats placed four seniors on the Class A All-State girls soccer team, highlighting a total of 15 local boys and girls who earned All-State honors.
Columbia Falls striker Ellie Johnson, midfielder Tavia Bechtel, and defenders Sydney Grilley and Lexi Strouse each were All-State picks. It is the second straight All-State selection for Grilley and Strouse, and the third straight year for Bechtel. Johnson, whose 12 goals led the Wildkats, is a first-time honoree.
Class A’s leading goal scorer, Whitefish’s Haley Nicholson, also earned All-State merits for the second year in a row. The Bulldogs junior scored 31 goals this fall and led Whitefish to the state semifinals.
Olivia Hewston made her second straight All-State team to lead a trio of Polson juniors on the squad. Eighteen-goal scorer Tiara Duford and Brenna Clarke were also honored. A league-leading seven Pirates were named to one of two All-Conference teams.
On the boys side, conference champion Polson landed three on the All-State team, led by junior forward Mike Mercer, who finished ninth in the state with nine goals. Sophomore Alex Encizo and senior Jaben Wenzel joined Mercer on the All-State squad.
Libby’s Cody Wood, whose 21 goals were second most Class A, earned All-State honors for the second year in a row, the only local repeat selection. His Loggers teammate, Zander Petersen, joined him in garnering All-State recognition.
Junior keeper Brandon Karberg of Columbia Falls and Whitefish senior Walter Sobba also were recognized as All-State performers.
Eight Polson players were named to All-Conference teams, tops among Northwestern A.
Northwestern A Soccer
GIRLS
All-State
Tavia Bechtel, Sr., Columbia Falls; Sydney Grilley, Sr., Columbia Falls; Ellie Johnson, Sr., Columbia Falls; Lexi Strouse, Sr., Columbia Falls; Brenna Clarke, Jr., Polson; Tiara Duford, Jr., Polson; Olivia Hewston, Jr., Polson; Haley Nicholson, Jr., Whitefish.
All-Conference First Team
Mattie McAnally, Sr., Bigfork; Tavia Bechtel, Sr., Columbia Falls; Sydney Grilley, Sr., Columbia Falls; Ellie Johnson, Sr., Columbia Falls; Lexi Strouse, Sr., Columbia Falls; Brenna Clarke, Jr., Polson; Tiara Duford, Jr., Polson; Olivia Hewston, Jr., Polson; Ashlee Howell, Fr., Polson; Julia Houston, Jr., Whitefish; Haley Nicholson, Jr., Whitefish.
All-Conference Second Team
Katie Thomas, Sr., Bigfork, Kendra King, Jr., Columbia Falls; Hannah Gedlaman, So., Columbia Falls; Anna Carlson, Jr., Libby; Abbie Creighton, So., Libby; Shannon Reny, So., Libby; Hannah Kasnitz, Jr., Polson; Marina Mayorga, So., Polson; JaNessa Taylor, So., Polson; Lexie Carbo, So., Whitefish; Melissa Pollard, Jr., Whitefish.
BOYS
All-State
Brandon Karberg, Jr., Columbia Falls; Zander Petersen, Sr., Libby; Cody Wood, Jr., Libby; Alex Encizo, So., Polson; Mike Mercer, Jr., Polson; Jaben Wenzel, Sr., Polson; Walter Sobba, Sr., Whitefish.
All-Conference First Team
George Gibson, Sr., Bigfork; Brandon Karberg, Jr., Columbia Falls; Colin Maloney, Jr., Libby; Zander Petersen, Sr., Libby; Cody Wood, Jr., Libby; Dylan Cooper, Sr., Polson; Alex Encizo, So., Polson; Linde Lambson, So., Polson; Mike Mercer, Jr., Polson; Jaben Wenzel, Sr., Polson; Walter Sobba, Sr., Whitefish.
All-Conference Second Team
Ben Russell, Sr., Bigfork; Paxton Fisher, Jr., Columbia Falls; Logan Stephens, Jr., Columbia Falls; Giovanni Cano, Jr., Libby; Raffael Webber, Sr., Libby; Andrew Hanson, So., Polson; Emiliano Hernandez, Jr., Polson; Russell Smith, So., Polson; Xander Burger, Fr., Whitefish; Casey Ling, Sr., Whitefish; Taisuke Matsuo, Sr., Whitefish.