SOCCER ROUNDUP: Flathead boys blank Capital; Glacier girls tie league-leaders

Two second-half goals allowed Helena Capital to pull away from Flathead for a 3-0 Western AA girls soccer victory on a rainy Friday afternoon at Kidsports Complex.

Capital led 1-0 at the half on Cassie Brisko’s goal.

Francie Tupper and Ashley Carlson finished the Bruins scoring at 47 and 78 minutes.

“The best game we’ve played,” Flathead coach Jenni Sipe said.

“The score doesn’t reflect how well our team played today.”

Sipe said Shayenn Thompson and Zina Loudermilk “both had a great offensive game.”

She said Sara Clarin and Clara Vandenbosch “played well on defense” and that Kylee Herron “really stepped it up.”

Flathead keeper Aaris Hill stopped 20 shots by Capital.

“She played very well,” Sipe said of Hill.

“Give the other team credit for getting three in the back of the net.”

Flathead (0-11 overall, 0-9 league) hosts Helena High today at noon for a Western AA contest.

“We’re working hard,” Sipe said.

“The goals will come.”

Helena Capital 1 2 — 3

Flathead 0 0 — 0

HC — Cassie Brisko, 38:00

HC — Francie Tupper, 47:00

HC — Ashley Carlson, 78:00

Shots on goal — Capital 22, Flathead 13; Goalie saves — Capital 9 (Aryn Cummings), Flathead 20 (Aaris Hill); Corner kicks — Capital 1, Flathead 2; Fouls — Capital 3, Flathead 4; Cards — None.

Glacier 2, Helena 2

Cadie Williams answered both Helena goals with scores of her own and the Wolfpack tied the league-leading Bengals in a Western AA conference match.

Glacier (3-6-2, 2-5-2 Western AA) showed vast improvement from an early-season 7-2 loss in Helena, playing right with the unbeaten Bengals (9-0-2, 7-0-2) thanks to Williams and a strong defensive effort.

“Helena is a potent offensive powerhouse and we did everything we could to hang with them,” Glacier coach Brendan Byrd said. “The girls showed up and our back line played one of the better games they played all year.”

Katie O’Malley got the scoring started in the 38th minute but Williams answered just one minute later, on a direct kick, to tie the score. After Helena re-took the lead early in the second half, Williams potted an unassisted goal in the 63rd minute to tie it.

Helena put 14 shots on goal and forced Maddie Armstrong to make 11 saves.

Helena 1 1 — 2

Glacier 1 1 — 2

HEL — Katie O’Malley (unassisted), 38:00

GLA — Cadie Williams (direct kick), 39:00

HEL — Kamden Hilborn (direct kick), 55:00

GLA — Williams (unassisted), 63:00

Shots on goal — Helena 14, Glacier 10. Saves — Helena 7 (Reagan Hoffman), Glacier 11 (Maddie Armstrong). Corner kicks — Helena 5, Glacier 1. Fouls — Helena 14, Glacier 10. Cards — None.

BOYS

Flathead 2, Capital 0

Colter Goss scored in the third minute and Flathead’s defense did the rest, extending the Braves’ unbeaten streak to six matches with a shutout of Helena Capital in Western AA conference action.

Flathead (5-4-2, 4-3-2 Western AA) is 4-0-2 in its last six and have posted three straight shutouts.

“We’ve got a lot of momentum and a lot of confidence,” Flathead coach Nate Evans said. “Our back line played really well and (keeper) Micah Bucy played great.”

Goss scored his first goal of the season off a Gage Magone assist, and Flathead rounded out the scoring when Cameron DeNeeve buried a penalty kick in the 70th minute. Bucy made five saves.

The win vaulted Flathead into fourth place in the Western AA, two points behind today’s opponent, Helena. The Braves and Bengals will square off at 10 a.m.

Capital 0 0 — 0

Flathead 1 1 — 2

FLT — Colter Goss (Gage Magone), 3:00

FLT — Cameron DeNeeve (penalty kick), 70:00

Shots on goal — Capital 5, Flathead 4. Saves — Capital 2 (not reported), Flathead 5 (Micah Bucy). Corner kicks — Capital 4, Flathead 2. Fouls — Capital 12, Flathead 12. Cards — None.

Helena 4, Glacier 0

The Bengals scored three first half goals and routed the Wolfpack in a Western AA conference match.

Glacier (4-6-1, 3-5-1 Western AA) lost for the first time since Sept. 17.

The Wolfpack returns to the pitch today at 10 a.m. against Helena Capital.

Helena 3 1 — 4

Glacier 0 0 — 0

HEL — Aidan Fitzgerald (Gabe Studt), 2:00

HEL — Bernard Kintzing (Jacob Ries-Roncalli), 15:00

HEL — Fitzgerald (unassisted), 17:00

HEL — Ries-Roncalli (unassisted), 62:00

Shots on goal — Helena 16, Glacier 5. Saves — Helena 5 (not reported), Glacier 12 (not reported). Corner kicks —Glacier 1.

Stillwater Christian 4, Northwest Christian 3

SPOKANE, Wash. — Stillwater Christian scored twice in a three-minute span to break a 2-2 tie and the Cougars held on to beat Northwest (Wash.) Christian.

Elijah Chuaung scored off a Nicholas Sulzbacher assist in the 66th minute to put Stillwater ahead, 3-2. Sulzbacher scored the eventual match-winning goal three minutes later.

Isaac Neumann and Seth Reeves scored in the first half for the Cougars.

“Northwest Christian’s a good opponent for us and lots of scoring makes it fun,” Stillwater coach Ryan O’Rourke said. “I was happy with our offensive performance today.”

Stillwater 2 2 — 4

NW Christian 1 2 — 3

NWC — Carson Bowman (unassisted), 18:00

SC — Isaac Neumann (Zac King), 19:00

SC — Seth Reeves (Stephan Thompson), 22:00

NWC — Garrett Muncey (unassisted), 50:00

SC — Elijah Chuang (Nicholas Sulzbacher), 66:00

SC — Sulzbacher (Darren Kauffman), 69:00

NWC — Muncey (Josiah Breithaupt), 71:00

Shots on goal — Stillwater 9, NW Christian 6. Saves — Stillwater 3 (Zach Basnett), NW Christian 5 (Eli Breithaupt). Corner kicks — Stillwater 1, NW Christian 4. Fouls — Stillwater 4, NW Christian 1. Cards — None.