SOCCER ROUNDUP: Glacier boys bounce back; Flathead boys keep rolling

The Wolfpack roared out to an early lead but had to hang on in the second half to edge Helena Capital 2-1 in a rainy, cold Saturday morning Western AA conference boys soccer match at Glacier High School.

Glacier (5-6-1 overall, 4-5-1 league) moved into fifth place with the win, its third in four matches since the second half of the conference season began. The Wolfpack’s only loss in that stretch was a 4-0 drubbing Friday by Helena High.

“It was a really good response for us after yesterday,” Glacier coach Ryan Billiet said.

“Even with rain and cold weather, they came out and really showed a lot of character today.”

Rohit Tappeta put the Wolfpack on the board in the second minute when he took a punt from keeper Andrew Lorenc and deposited the ball in the back of the net. Conner Heil added a goal in the 29th minute, off an assist from Parker Bedard.

Glacier nearly scored again before halftime, but almost immediately after the break Kaysen Spencer got the Bruins (4-8-0, 4-6-0) on the board and the ’Pack clung to a one-goal lead the rest of the way.

“We got up on them early, which was great,” Billiet said.

“The second half was dramatic, down to the wire. You’re riding on the emotions.”

Lorenc made five saves in the win. Glacier put 13 shots on frame to just seven for Capital.

Capital 0 1 — 1

Glacier 2 0 — 2

GLA — Rohit Tappeta (Andrew Lorenc), 2:00

GLA — Conner Heil (Parker Bedard), 29:00

CAP — Kaysen Spencer (unassisted), 41:00

Shots on goal — Capital 7, Glacier 13. Saves — Capital 10 (not reported), Glacier 5 (Andrew Lorenc). Corner kicks — Capital 0, Glacier 3. Fouls — Capital 4, Glacier 6. Cards — Capital (1 yellow), Glacier (1 yellow).

Flathead 2, Helena High 2

Flathead bounced back from an early deficit to take a lead and eventually draw with Helena High, the Braves extending their unbeaten streak to seven matches.

Helena opened the scoring on a goal from Bernard Kintzing, but it took just seven minutes for a Flathead response. Joey Russell netted a goal on an assist from Brandon Byron to tie the game at 1-1.

Only a few minutes later, Flathead took the lead on a goal from Jordan Buxton. The Bengals quickly tied, however, Aidan Fitzgerald pulling the score even in the 39th minute.

“It’s really tough playing two games in less than 24 hours, especially with the conditions,” Braves coach Nate Evans said. “I’m really proud of the guys and how they bounced back.

“The second half was end to end exciting soccer. Just two teams going at it. Both teams came to play.”

Flathead is 4-0-3 in its last seven matches, climbing up to fourth place in the West, just two points behind Helena for third.

“It’s the first game this year we’ve gone down a goal and come back to take the lead,” Evans said. “It’s a big accomplishment for our guys. We’re looking to keep building on this momemtum and keep riding it.”

Helena 2 0 — 2

Flathead 2 0 — 2

HHS—Bernard Kintzing (Aidan Fitzgerald), 21:00

FHS—Joey Russell (Brandon Pyron), 28:00

FHS—Jordan Buxton (Makena Tanko), 34:00

HHS—Fitzgerald (Kintzing), 39:00

Shots—HHS 5, FHS 12. Saves—HHS 7, FHS 4 (Micah Bucy). Corner kicks—HHS 6, FHS 3. Fouls—HHS 20, FHS 11. Cards—none.

Libby 2, Whitefish 0

WHITEFISH — Cody Wood accounted for all of the scoring as Libby blanked Whitefish in a Northern A contest at Smith Fields.

Wood scored on a penalty kick at 61 minutes and followed in the 75th minute with a short putback for his other goal.

Libby had eight shots on goal to Whitefish’s two. Libby led in corner kicks 5-1.

Libby 0 2 — 2

Whitefish 0 0 — 0

L — Cody Wood, pk, 61:00

L — Wood (Giovanni Cano), 75:00

Shots on goal — Libby 8, Whitefish 2; Goalie saves — Libby 2 (Austin Swartzenberger), Whitefish 6 (Marty Anderson); Corner kicks — Libby 5, Whitefish 1; Fouls — Libby 10, Whitefish 8, Cards — Libby, 2 yellow.

GIRLS

Helena Capital 5, Glacier 2

Glacier led early in the second half but Helena Capital answered with three goals in 12 minutes and pulled away for a Western AA conference win at Glacier High School.

The Wolfpack (3-7-2, 2-6-2 Western AA) took a 2-1 lead when Cadie Williams scored off a Gabbi Dickson assist in the 47th minute. Later that same minute, however, Sydney Sheridan scored and Brynn Walker tallied 10 minutes later to put the Bruins in front for good.

“The girls got open looks and Capital did an excellent job of wanting to put the ball in the back of the net,” Glacier coach Brenden Byrd said. “The score line doesn’t show the amount of battle that we had back and forth, but that’s what happens when you let someone take a look at goal. A team like Capital, they’re hungry for goals.”

Dickson scored the first Glacier goal in the eighth minute, assisted by Williams.

Walker tallied a pair of goals, Cassi Brisko scored in the 59th minute and Aryn Cummings made eight saves for Capital (4-5-3, 4-5-1).

Capital 1 4 — 5

Glacier 1 1 — 2

GLA — Gabbi Dickson (Cadie Williams), 8:00

CAP — Brynn Walker (unassisted), 22:00

GLA — Williams (Dickson), 47:00

CAP — Sydney Sheridan (unassisted), 47:00

CAP — Walker (unassisted), 57:00

CAP — Cassi Brisko (unassisted), 59:00

CAP — Glacier own goal, 78:00

Shots on goal — Capital 12, Glacier 10. Saves — Capital 8 (Aryn Cummings), Glacier 7 (Maddie Armstrong). Corner kicks — Capital 2, Glacier 5. Fouls — Capital 7, Glacier 4. Cards — Capital (1 yellow).

Helena High 6, Flathead 0

Helena cashed in with four goals in the second half to down Flathead (0-12, 0-10) in a Western AA match at Kidsports Complex.

Helena (10-0-2, 8-0-2) led 2-0 at the half on goals by Alanna Vickory and Kamden Hilborn.

Hilborn added a goal in the second half, along with Alli Wade, Clarie Benedetti and Sydney Temple.

Helena beat Flathead in the season opener, 9-1.

“Night and day difference,” Flathead coach Jenni Sipe said how her team performed today, compared to the first time around with the Bengals.

“I couldn’t be more proud of how they played. They left it all on the field. Unfortunately we didn’t score, but they did a lot of the other things right.”

The Bengals outshot the Bravettes 25-15 on goal.

Helena 2 4 — 6

Flathead 0 0 — 0

HH — Alanna Vickory (Jaylen Tintinger), 12:00

HH — Kamden Hilborn, 36:00

HH — Hilborn, 54:00

HH — Alli Wade (Jaylen Tintinger), 63:00

HH — Claire Benedetti, pk, 70:00

HH — Sydney Temple, 76:00

Shots on goal — Helena High 25, Flathead 15; Goalie saves — Helena High 15 (Reagan Hoffman, Hailey Crawford), Flathead 19 (Aaris Hill); Corner kicks — Helena High 2, Flathead 1; Fouls — Helena High 5, Flathead 4; Cards — None.

Whitefish 8, Libby 0

WHITEFISH — Haley Nicholson scored 44 seconds into the match, kick starting a deluge of goals for the senior striker and leading Whitefish to the Northern A conference championship and a blowout win over Libby at Smith Fields.

Nicholson scored six times in her final home regular season match, including all five Bulldogs’ goals in the first half. The senior now has 27 goals this season, the most in Class A. Nicholson led the state with 31 goals a year ago.

Whitefish (9-3-0, 7-1-0 Northern A) locked up the conference championship with the win, finishing just ahead of Polson (6-1-1) in league play. Whitefish will face the third seed from the Eastern A in the playoff quarterfinals this weekend, with the exact date to be determined.

“For me, you want to be first and you want to win, but conference champions just means you get a better draw in the playoffs,” Whitefish coach Roland Benedict said. “The ultimate goal is to make it to the playoffs and go after a state championship.”

McKayla Stone and Melissa Pollard added second half goals for the Bulldogs. Nicholson assisted on Stone’s tally.

Shannon Reny made 15 saves for the Loggers (0-12-0, 0-8-0).

Libby 0 0 — 0

Whitefish 5 3 — 8

WF — Haley Nicholson (unassisted), 1:00

WF — Nicholson (Julia Houston), 18:00

WF — Nicholson (Kellie Brown), 28:00

WF — Nicholson (unassisted), 35:00

WF — Nicholson (Abby Lowry), 38:00

WF — McKayla Stone (Nicholson), 44:00

WF — Melissa Pollard (unassisted), 58:00

WF — Nicholson (unassisted), 62:00

Shots on goal — Libby 2, Whitefish 23. Saves — Libby 15 (Shannon Reny), Whitefish 2 (Kess Nelson). Corner kicks — Libby 0, Whitefish 4. Fouls — Libby 3, Whitefish 4. Cards — None.

Columbia Falls 2, Bigfork 0

BIGFORK — A pair of first-half goals by Kaylee Ashe and Joyce Hatfield was enough to give Columbia Falls (7-4-1, 4-3-1) a Northern A victory over Bigfork in the regular-season final for both.

Ashe scored 10 minutes into play and Hatfield just before the half ended.

“We started a little bit slow, but we got a couple goals,” Columbia Falls coach Greg Trenerry said.

“We passed better in the second half, but didn’t finish.”

Trenerry said keeper Madeline Jarvis had three dandy saves.

Columbia Falls has a first-round playoff match on Saturday at Billings Central.

Columbia Falls 2 0 — 2

Bigfork 0 0 — 0

CF — Kaylee Ashe (Hannah Gedlaman), 10:00

CF— Joyce Hatfield (Hannah Callender), 40:00

Shots on goal — Columbia Falls 18, Bigfork 8; Goalie saves — Columbia Falls 6 (Madeline Jarvis), Bigfork 10 (Celeste Rehbein); Corner kicks — Columbia Falls 3, Bigfork 4; Fouls — Columbia Falls 10, Bigfork 4; Cards — Columbia Falls, 1 yellow.