BOYS SOCCER: Flathead claims crosstown

Flathead scored bookend goals late in the first and early in the second half, finding enough space on a tightly-packed field at Legends Stadium to beat Glacier 2-1 on Thursday night, winning for the fourth time in their last seven meetings with their crosstown rival.

The Braves (3-4-1, 2-3-1 Western AA) are now 4-1-2 in their last seven crosstown matches after Glacier won 10 of the first 12 contests between the two.

Flathead found its first goal in the 38th minute when a loose ball off a corner kick found its way to Brandon Pyron in the box and the junior defenseman buried it in the back of a vacated net.

The scrum that preceded the goal was emblematic of the way the match was played, with the two teams struggling to find any space on a field that was constrained by football dimensions, making it 10 yards shorter and at least 10 yards narrower than a typical pitch.

“It was tight, it was tough for us to find some space in the first half,” Glacier coach Ryan Billiet said. “It’s unfortunate giving up two goals like that but that’s soccer, sometimes the ball just bounces and we’re not on the other end of it and unfortunately — and fortunately for them — they were.”

This marked the second straight season Flathead and Glacier played one of their two crosstown matches at Legends Stadium, the home of the two schools’ football teams. While the narrow pitch made for a clustered, physical match both fan bases showed in force, filling more than half of the north bleachers.

There were 37 fouls whistled in the contest and four yellow cards handed out, two on each side. The Braves were called for 15 first half fouls.

Flathead tallied the eventual match-winner in the 47th minute when substitute Walt Hollensteiner fed Joey Russell just outside the box. Russell blasted a ball on frame that went through the arms of Wolfpack keeper Andrew Lorenc and over the goal line.

Glacier (2-4-1, 1-3-1) got on the board in the 56th minute when Conner Heil found a loose ball at his feet and lasered one inside the far post, but the Wolfpack could not find the equalizer.

Both teams finished with five shots on goal but the Braves had the better of the chances most of the night. Flathead had several second half opportunities to pad its lead, bolstered by strong play on top from junior Hanson Eystad, who twice narrowly missed the far post with dangerous attempts.

Flathead also was effective in stifling the Wolfpack attack, rarely giving Glacier clean looks at the net and keeper Micah Bucy, who finished with four saves.

Braves coach Nate Evans was enthusiastic in praising his back line.

“We’ve got two of the best center bascks (Nathan Moon and Jordan Buxton) in the state and we’ve got two of the best up-and-coming outside backs (Pyron and Tyler Kluesner) in the state,” he said. “(Moon and Buxton are) the two nicest kids but on a soccer field they’re two of the last people you ever want to go against. They’re very disciplined, they’re very strong, very athletic and they know their position.

“We knew in the second half they’d start to play direct and they tried to play wide and we just kind of leaned on those guys and our wingers to just kind of carry us on defense. They were so sound and so solid for us, they really didn’t give up any chances.”

The Braves are unbeaten in their last three matches and have matched their season win total from a year ago. Flathead is tied for fourth in the Western AA and begins the second half of its conference schedule next week.

“We had a slow start, 0-3, but I just told the boys to be patient, be confident in our system and good things will happen,” Evans said. “It’s a good time to really start picking up momentum for us.”

Glacier 0 1 — 1

Flathead 1 1 — 2

F — Brandon Pyron (Jordan Buxton), 38:00

F — Joey Russell (Walt Hollensteiner), 47:00

G — Conner Heil (unassisted), 56:00

Shots on goal — Glacier 5, Flathead 5. Saves — Glacier 2 (Andrew Lorenc), Flathead 4 (Micah Bucy). Corner kicks — Glacier 0, Flathead 5. Fouls — Glacier 14, Flathead 23. Cards — Yellow: Glacier 2, Flathead 2.