GIRLS SOCCER: Polson taking aim at title

Michael Hewston has spent eight seasons as the Polson girls soccer coach, building a program without much of a tradition into one of the most talented teams in the state.

But even he knows that the next obstacle for his Pirates to conquer is right inside their own conference.

“Columbia Falls is my greatest prize,” he said. “They’re poised, they’re rock solid and their coach has been there since the dawn of the century.”

The Wildkats’ mentor, Greg Trenerry, has actually been at the helm even longer, but Hewston’s observation is no less true: the road to the Northern A conference title runs through Columbia Falls.

This fall, Polson certainly looks like a team capable of taking over the top spot in the league with a whopping six all-state or all-conference selections back from last season. The Pirates’ Tiara Duford is one of the state’s most dynamic scorers and she’ll have plenty of help from all-state classmate Olivia Hewston and others.

Polson won nine matches last season but was upended in the play-in round of the state tournament by conference rival Whitefish, and before the Pirates can worry about Columbia Falls this fall they’ll have to deal with a Bulldogs team that features another exceptional all-state goal scorer in Haley Nicholson.

Columbia Falls may have graduated more seniors (11) than Polson and Whitefish combined, but that doesn’t mean the Wildkats won’t again be a major factor in Trenerry’s 20th season at the helm. Columbia Falls has been in the state tournament 12 of the last 13 years and will be pushed by the memory of last year’s disappointing quarterfinal loss at home against Laurel.

Libby and Bigfork combined to win just one match last year as the three other Northern A teams battled it out for the league title and both will be hoping to make strides towards the rest of the pack this fall.

In Class AA, Flathead has a new head coach in Jenni Sipe, whose last coaching job came 12 years ago. She takes over a Bravettes team that lost nine seniors including all-state dynamo Stephanie Wilson.

On the north side of town, Glacier has already matched last season’s win total after a split at last weekend’s Great Falls Jamboree and brings back its leading scorer, Cadie Williams.

Here’s a closer look at all of Northwest Montana’s girls soccer teams:

Class AA

Flathead Bravettes

Head coach: Jenni Sipe (1st season)

2015 record: 3-8-2 overall, 3-7-2 in conference. Lost 4-1 at Helena Capital in state tournament play-in match.

Key losses: MF Stephanie Wilson; D Amanda Buxton; D Lara Zander; D Ashley Lincoln; MF/F Alexa May.

Top returners: MF Sara Clarin, Jr.; MF/F Shayenn Thompson, So.

The skinny: Flathead began 2015 with some bright spots before fading sharply at the end of the year, losing its last five matches by a combined 20-2 score, including a lopsided state play-in defeat.

Enter a new head coach in Sipe, who was an applicant for the Flathead job more than a decade ago when Scott Warnell was hired. It was Warnell’s replacement, Cory Wilson, who stepped down at the end of last season to make way for Sipe.

Sipe inherits a Bravettes squad that will need to replace Stephanie Wilson, the 2014 Western AA co-Most Valuable Player and an all-state performer last season. Sophomore midfielder Shayenn Thompson is the most likely candidate to take over the scoring mantle, already netting a pair of goals in Helena at a jamboree last weekend.

Coach Sipe’s take: “I told the girls, one of the things I learned as a kid in high school, one of the things that I remember from my high school basketball coach, was to play hard and have fun. I kind of feel like we don’t have a lot of expectations. Do I believe we can make the playoffs? Absolutely.

“It’s just been fun getting to see everyone work together. I think we have a solid group of returners back and we have some amazing underclassmen as well.”

Next match: At Helena High, Sept. 2 at 4 p.m.

Glacier Wolfpack

Head coach: Brenden Byrd (5th season)

2015 record: 1-10-2 overall, 1-9-2 in conference. Lost 2-1 at Missoula Hellgate in state tournament play-in match.

Key losses: MF McKayle Dennehy; GK Amy Braig; F Olivia Malchi.

Top returners: MF Cadie Williams, Jr.; F Destiny Dachs, Sr.; D Emma Schlofeldt, Sr.; MF Ellie Stevens, Jr.

The skinny: Last season was one to forget for the Wolfpack, but despite not winning a match until their final contest of the regular season there is plenty of developing talent coming back.

Glacier returns four all-conference players, led by Cadie Williams, the eighth-leading scorer in Western AA a year ago. Williams scored a team-leading five goals and added three assists last season. All-conference classmate Ellie Stevens also returns, making the move from defense into the midfield.

The Wolfpack is ready to put last season in the rearview mirror and return to the type of play they saw in Byrd’s first three seasons as head coach, when the team averaged more than six wins per year and reached the state tournament twice.

Coach Byrd’s take: “I think that’s the whole thing, our number one thing is not to dwell on things in the past. With this young squad that we have, they’re so amazingly excited about being better. The work rate is incredible. We are straight up the underdogs. We’ve got nothing to lose.”

“I’m ready to shock every team out there. We have promising underclassmen, we have upperclassmen who are dedicated to the program. I think we’ll be a very good piece of competition for the Western conference.”

Next match: At Helena Capital, Sept. 2, 4 p.m.

Class A

Bigfork Valkyries

Head coach: Jens Sundem (2nd season)

2015 record: 1-9-2 overall, 1-6-1 in conference.

Key losses: F Mattie McAnally; Katie Thomas.

Top returners: Haile Norred, Jr.; Ally Pancoast, Jr.

The skinny: The Vals are still building under their second-year coach and bring a young bunch into the 2016 season.

Bigfork graduated its leading scorer in Mattie McAnally (11 goals) but could see some of the scoring slack picked up by a familiar name. Freshman Ashton McAnally, Mattie’s younger sister, is on the roster and should see time right away this fall.

The Valkyries also bring back juniors Haile Norred and Ally Pancoast who will serve as captains alongside senior keeper Celeste Rehbein.

Bigfork last reached the state tournament in 2010.

Coach Sundem’s take: “I’m excited. We’ve got some new girls stepping in and I’m impressed. Some of them haven’t played in years but they are picking it right back up and I’m excited by the season this year.”

“I always tell these girls we’ve got to aim high. Bigfork historically has not done so great but I always expect to advance at least partially through the playoffs. I think that if we work hard as a team the potential is there this year.”

Next match: Hamilton, Sept. 2, 3 p.m.

Columbia Falls Wildkats

Head coach: Greg Trenerry (20th season)

2015 record: 8-3-2 overall, 6-1-1 in conference. Lost to Laurel 3-1 in state tournament quarterfinals.

Key losses: MF Tavia Bechtel; D Sydney Grilley; F Ellie Johnson; D Lexi Strouse.

Top returners: D Kendra King, Sr.; F Hannah Gedlaman, Jr.

The skinny: There will be a lot of new faces in the Wildkats’ starting lineup this fall, but the powerhouse program had a chance to work in a number of substitutes in one-sided games last year which means those new faces are no strangers to the pitch.

Columbia Falls lost four all-state players, including a pair of defensemen in Lexi Strouse and Sydney Grilley, and midfielder Tavia Bechtel. Ellie Johnson, who was ninth in the conference in scoring last year, is gone, too, leaving a 12-goal, 11-assist void at the top.

Junior Hannah Gedlaman teamed with Johnson on the attack and scored 10 goals a year ago, and she figures to be leaned on even more heavily this fall. Seniors Kendra King and Mikayla Thomas return as well to lead the defense.

Coach Trenerry’s take: “I think they’ll be all right. We had a core of subs that we played quite a bit. We’re going to have one or two freshmen starting and there are some good players that might be playing different positions that are going to show pretty well.”

“That was a great team (in 2015). I thought we could have played better than that (against Laurel) but that’s just the way it is. I don’t worry too much about it because it was last year.”

“(Gedlaman)’s looking up better and her cross has been better. She looks good, she’s fast, maybe even faster than last year. She got behind (the defense) quite a few times.”

Next match: At Frenchtown, Sept. 1, 4 p.m.

Libby Loggers

Head coach: Jay Forsyth (1st season)

2015 record: 0-11-1 overall, 0-7-1 in conference.

Key losses: None.

Top returners: Anna Carlson, Sr.; Abbie Creighton, Jr.; Shannon Reny, Jr.; Allie Coldwell, Jr.

The skinny: First-year coach Jay Forsyth isn’t new to Libby soccer, having helped start the school’s boys program 17 years ago.

After spending a few seasons as a youth coach in town, Forsyth takes the reins for a program that lost 11 of the 12 matches it played a year ago.

The good news is Libby returns all three of its all-conference performers from last season in Anna Carlson, Abbie Creighton and Shannon Reny. Carlson was the Loggers’ leading scorer, notching three goals and three assists.

The Loggers were in the state championship match just four years ago and won a conference title in 2009.

Coach Forsyth’s take: “It’s really refreshing because when I coached before there were so many growing pains with the program. I’ve started with a group of girls that were surprisingly positive, really in great shape.”

“One of the goals I’ve got, I never have a problem losing to teams that are technically better. As long as we never lose a game because we’re tired first, I’m happy. The girls really have wins and losses in their hands. If they can come out and pick up some of the technical and tactical stuff it will allow them to do stuff in the 85th minute where a lot of teams tire out sooner.”

Next match: Livingston, Sept. 2, 5 p.m.

Polson Pirates

Head coach: Michael Hewston (9th season)

2015 record: 9-4-0 overall, 6-2-0 in conference. Lost to Whitefish 2-1 in state tournament play-in match.

Key losses: Brenna Clarke.

Top returners: F Tiara Duford, Sr.; D Olivia Hewston, Sr.; MF/F Ashlee Howell, So.; F/MF Hannah Kasnitz, Sr.; MF/D Marina Mayorga, Jr.; F/MF Janessa Taylor, Jr.

The skinny: Polson’s senior class has made three straight trips to the state tournament but they’ve never won a match.

They’re hoping that’s a starting point this year.

Tiara Duford leads a 10-member senior class with high expectations for this fall, and for good reason. Duford was sixth in the state in scoring a year ago with 18 goals and six assists, earning all-state accolades. The Pirates also have an all-state defender coming back in senior Olivia Hewston, along with four all-conference honorees.

Ashlee Howell made the all-conference first team as a freshman and picked up a team-leading 15 assists last year, and there’s more firepower returning in Hannah Kasnitz and Marina Mayorga.

Coach Hewston’s take: “The best part about this is most of the kids that are seniors this year I started in the spring with U-12 (club teams). It’s been a long time. I’ve been looking forward to this year for at least two years knowing they were going to flower. It’s a great group of kids and it’s not just soccer; they play tennis, they run track, they’re honor students.”

“There’s no shortage of talent. Ashley Benson has blown people’s minds. Last year was her first year playing soccer. Jenna Evertz is our keeper, a senior, knows all the girls, relates with all of them, they listen to her. There’s no shortage of good names on this list that I could rattle off.”

Next match: At Missoula Loyola-Sacred Heart, Sept. 1, 4 p.m.

Whitefish Bulldogs

Head coach: Roland Benedict (2nd season)

2015 record: 10-4-1 overall, 5-2-1 in conference. Beat Polson 2-1 in state tournament play-in match. Defeated Frenchtown 4-3 (OT) in tournament quarterfinals. Lost to Billings Central 5-3 in semifinals.

Key losses: None.

Top returners: F Haley Nicholson, Sr.; MF Julia Houston, Sr.; D Lexie Carbo, Jr.; MF Melissa Pollard, Sr.

The skinny: Whitefish has been the other big dog in the Northern A for more than a decade, and this year’s team is as loaded as any in recent memory.

Senior forward Haley Nicholson scored an absurd 31 goals in just 15 games last season, more than any other player in the state, and with another year under her belt she’s poised for even more this fall. Nicholson is far from the only returning piece, too, with all-conference midfielders Julia Houston and Melissa Pollard back for their senior seasons. Junior defenseman Lexie Carbo should provide stability on the backline.

Whitefish has reached the state championship match eight times in the last 15 years and won state titles in 2001 and 2006. The Bulldogs have qualified for the state tournament in 12 consecutive seasons.

Coach Benedict’s take: “The one thing that I’m excited the most about is that every girl on this team is passionate about this game. They’re obsessed with it. They watch the game, they constantly learn. It’s fun to coach them because we now have 24-25 soccer brains.”

“(Nicholson)’s great. The great thing about having a girl that wants to score — a lot of teams, they just want a girl that wants to take shots — is I’ve been blessed to have a girl who wants to take shots whenever she can. You become that much harder to defend if when they play her tight there are some other girls who are going to (score) and if you don’t do that she’s going to score because she’s extremely talented.”

Next match: Belgrade, Sept. 2, 5 p.m.