BOYS SOCCER: Glacier, Flathead battle for state berth

This afternoon’s third crosstown soccer match of the season will do more than settle bragging rights for another year — it will send one of Kalispell’s two locals on to the Class AA state tournament next week.

Fourth-seeded Flathead (6-5-3, 5-4-3 Western AA) and fifth-seeded Glacier (6-7-1, 5-6-1) will square off at Kidsports Complex — also the site of next week’s state tournament — Thursday at 3 p.m. with no less than their seasons on the line. The winner will reach the state tourney while the loser’s season will come to a close.

The Braves and Wolfpack split their two regular season matches with both sides winning on their home field, including a 3-1 Glacier win last Thursday. That loss was Flathead’s only defeat during a season-ending 5-1-3 stretch, a run that included a 1-0 win at second-seeded Missoula Sentinel on Saturday that vaulted the Braves into the fourth seed and a home match against the ’Pack today.

“I talked to the guys after (the last crosstown) and they were pretty beaten down,” Flathead coach Nate Evans said. “The reality is Glacier played a great game and we flat-out did not play our game. That Glacier game was a good wakeup call for us, it was a good reminder of the focus and discipline it takes each day to be successful.”

Glacier, meanwhile, has had an up-and-down second half of the season, alternating wins and losses in its last five matches. The Wolfpack has not played since last week’s crosstown win and used the extra time off to take a step away from the pitch.

“It’s been a blast,” Glacier coach Ryan Billiet said. “On Friday, we went out and raked leaves in the community and had some hot chocolate, a good opportunity to get out and serve the community and connect with each other.

“Monday we came back and had a great session, the guys were excited to be back at the field. They don’t want it to be the last week of training.”

Glacier Junior Rohit Tappeta scored two goals in the crosstown win has six goals this season to tie Conner Heil for team-high honors. Tappeta’s 19 points lead the team.

The Wolfpack has reached the state tournament each of the last two seasons, dropping each of its matches a year ago in Billings after a fourth-place showing in 2014. Four teams from both the Western and Eastern AA advance to the state tournament.

Flathead is enjoying a renaissance season under Evans, its second-year head coach. The Braves have won one more match this year as they did in the six seasons before Evans’ hiring, combined. With a win today, Flathead would reach the state tournament for the first time since an upset in the play-in round vaulted them into the 2014 field.

“Each game throughout the season has implications for the postseason, for their own individual and team goals,” Evans said. “No matter the stakes, we just let our guys plays loose, have fun, play hard, play physical and play one game at a time.

“We focus on doing what it takes to be successful and doing our very best. They understand (the stakes). They’re competitors.”

Hansen Eystad leads Flathead with six goals this season, two more than Jordan Buxton. Senior keeper Micah Bucy has anchored a stingy Braves defense that has allowed more than two goals just once in the last nine matches.

That one time, however, was against the Wolfpack last week. It was Glacier’s payback for a 2-1 Flathead win at Legends Stadium on Sept. 15.

“What better way to end the season than by playing your crosstown rival in a winner-go-to-state game,” Billiet said. “They nicked us early on, we had the better game last week. These guys have been competing all their lives. We need to be able to settle this.”