Class A Soccer: Splits for Libby at Bigfork and Whitefish at Polson
<p>Bigfork's Shane Rieke fights off a pair of Libby defenders during the Loggers' 5-2 victory in Bigfork on Thursday. (Aaric Bryan/Daily Inter Lake)</p>
<p>Libby's Allie Coldwell and Bigfork's Halie Norred battle for a ball during the first half of Bigfork on Thursday, Oct. 1, 2015 in this file photo. (Aaric Bryan/Daily Inter Lake)</p>
BIGFORK — Libby midfielder Cody Wood broke open a tie game in the second half, netting a hat trick in the first 30 minutes to lift the Loggers to a 5-2 Northern A conference soccer victory over Bigfork on Thursday.
Wood scored in the 44th, 54th and 70th minutes to carry the Loggers in the victory.
Libby outshot the Vikings 17-9 on goal and had three corner kicks to Bigfork’s one.
Bigfork’s Kalvin Eaton opened the scoring, finishing a pass from Christian Bencomo in the 28th minute. Libby would answer just before halftime when Giovanni Cano evened the score.
Libby’s Ryan Nagle scored shortly after the Wood hat trick to give the Loggers a 5-1 lead late in the match.
Bigfork would add a late tally, however, Alex Beunz scoring on a Hugo Schyberg assist two minutes before the final whistle.
Libby 1 4 — 5
Bigfork 1 1 — 2
B — Kalvin Eaton (Christian Bencomo), 28:00
L — Giovanni Cano, 38:00
L — Cody Wood, 44:00
L — Wood, 54:00
L — Wood, 70:00
L — Ryan Nagle, 75:00
B —Alex Beunz (Hugo Schyberg), 78:00
Shots on goal — Libby 17, Bigfork 9; Goalie saves — Libby 3, Bigfork 10; Corner kicks — Libby 3, Bigfork 1. Fouls — Libby 8, Bigfork 5. Cards — Libby 1 yellow, Bigfork 2 yellow.
Polson 3, Whitefish 1
POLSON — Michael Mercer scored two goals on penalty kicks and Andrew Hanson had the other score for Polson in a Northern A victory over Whitefish.
Whitefish’s goal was also via the penalty kick with Casey Ling scoring in the 73rd minute.
Polson totaled just seven shots on goal to Whitefish’s two.
“A great game,” Whitefish coach John Lacey said. “Both teams played really hard. It was a fitting rematch after the 1-1 tie we played in Whitefish (on Sept. 19).”
Whitefish 0 1 — 1
Polson 2 1 — 3
P — Michael Mercer, pk, 28:00
P — Andrew Hanson, 35:00
P — Mercer, pk, 61:00
W — Casey Ling, pk, 73:00
Shots on goal — Whitefish 2, Polson 7; Goalie saves — Whitefish 4 (Marty Anderson), Polson 2 (Russell Smith); Corner kicks — Whitefish 1, Polson 6; Fouls — Whitefish 12, Polson 10; Cards — Polson, 2 yellow.
Girls
Bigfork 6, Libby 1
BIGFORK — Mattie McAnally scored four goals to lead the Valkyries to a Northern A soccer victory over Libby.
No other information was available.
Whitefish 2, Polson 0
POLSON — Haley Nicholson scored on a penalty kick just two minutes into play and added an insurance goal at 67 minutes as Whitefish nipped Polson in Northern A play.
“We nullified (Polson’s) Tiara Duford and Ashlee Howell,” Whitefish coach Roland Benedict said. “They still had their chances, but we made their chances difficult for them to score. That’s all you can do against great players.”
Polson beat Whitefish (7-3-0) earlier this season 4-1.
“Just an impressive display by our defensive unit today — Lexie Carbo and Pixie Moore, our goal keeper Kess Nelson and our two outside backs Grace Scrafford and Kellie Brown,” Benedict said.
Whitefish 1 1 — 2
Polson 0 0 — 0
W – Haley Nicholson, pk, 3:48
W – Haley Nicholson (Melissa Pollard), 67:00
Shots on goal — Whitefish 7, Polson 16; Goalie saves — Whitefish 6 (Kess Nelson), Polson 4 (Jenna Evertz); Corner kicks — Whitefish 3, Polson 2. Fouls — Whitefish 3, Polson 3. Cards — None.