Pairings set for Class AA soccer tourney at Kidsports

by The Daily Inter Lake
| October 25, 2016 11:18 PM

The state’s best Class AA soccer teams are headed to town, with the double-elimination state tournament set to begin Thursday at Kidsports Complex.

Eight boys and eight girls teams make up the field, and 22 total matches are scheduled across four fields and three days of action.

Only one hometown team is in the field, with the Glacier boys earning the Western conference’s fourth seed thanks to their 2-1 win Thursday against Flathead. The Wolfpack (7-7-1) are in the state tournament for the third straight season, and begin with a major test against Eastern conference champion Bozeman (12-1-1), Thursday at 2:30 p.m. The two teams played to open the season on Aug. 27 in Great Falls, a match the Hawks won 5-2.

The winner between Bozeman and Glacier will advance to the state semifinals, with a meeting against either Billings West or Missoula Sentinel on Friday at 1:30 p.m. The losing team will move to the consolation bracket against the Sentinel-West loser on Friday at 11 a.m.

The girls take the field first at Kidsports, with four first round matches Thursday at noon. The boys follow at 2:30 with their four first-round contests.

Semifinal and loser-out matches will be played Friday. The third place, fifth place and championship matches will be played Saturday, with both title contests scheduled for 12:30 p.m.

This is the first time the Class AA state tournaments will be played in Kalispell since 2012.

Class AA state tournament

At Kidsports Complex (Kalispell)

Quarterfinals

BOYS

Thursday

All matches at 2:30 p.m.

#1W Missoula Hellgate vs. #4E Butte

#2E Billings Senior vs. #3W Helena

#1E Bozeman vs. #4W Glacier

#2W Missoula Sentinel vs. #3E Billings West

GIRLS

Thursday

All matches at Noon

#1W Helena vs. #4E Billings West

#2E Billings Senior vs. #3W Helena Capital

#1E Bozeman vs. #4W Missoula Hellgate

#2W Missoula Sentinel vs. #3E Billings Skyview