Stillwater falls in MCAA state title soccer game
<p>Stillwater Christian's Hansen Eystad (left) takes the ball away from Heritage Christian's Daniel Gray during the first half of the Montana Christian Athletic Association state boys championship soccer game on Saturday at Stillwater Christian School. (Aaric Bryan/Daily Inter Lake)</p>
Heritage Christian School scored goals on its first two shots on its way to a 4-2 victory and the Montana Christian Athletic Association boys state soccer championship on Saturday at Stillwater Christian School, breaking a 12-year run of titles by the hosting Cougars.
Eli Gossack scored in the fifth minute and Trent Smith in the ninth to give the Falcons a commanding lead early in the match.
Gossack scored his second in the 26th minute to net the eventual game winner and give Heritage a 3-0 halftime lead.
“They played very intentionally,” Stillwater coach Ryan O’Rourke said. “We were up against it from that point forward.”
BJ Bach scored five minutes into the second half on an assist from Darren Kauffman to get Stillwater on the board, but an own goal in the 53rd minute effectively ended any Cougars rally.
Bach scored again in the 65th minute on an assist from Micah Friesen.
Stillwater outshot Heritage 12-11. The Falcons had seven corner kicks to Stillwater’s two.
Cougars keeper Daniel Fetveit made eight saves in the net.
“It was a hard fought game,” O’Rourke said.
MCAA State Championship
Stillwater 0 2 — 2
Heritage Christian 3 1 — 4
HC—Eli Gossack, 5:00
HC—Trent Smith, 9:00
HC—Gossack, 26:00
SCS—BJ Bach (Darren Kauffman), 45:00
HC—Stillwater own goal, 53:00
SCS—Bach (Micah Friesen), 65:00
Shots on goal — Stillwater 12, HC 11; Goalie saves — Stillwater 8 (Daniel Fetveit), HC 10 (Noah Madill); Corner kicks — Stillwater 2, HC 7; Fouls — Stillwater 12, HC 7; Cards — none.