SOCCER ROUNDUP: Stillwater wins twice; Flathead boys tie league-leaders
<p>Stillwater Christian junior Jorgen Linborg fights off a Bonners Ferry defender for a ball during the second half of the Cougars' 3-1 victory at home on Tuesday. (Aaric Bryan/Daily Inter Lake)</p>
<p>Stillwater Christian sophomore Jascah Vann (right) slides in to make a tackle on a Bonners Ferry defender during the second half of the Cougars' 3-2 victory at home on Tuesday. (Aaric Bryan/Daily Inter Lake)</p>
A big second half lifted Stillwater Christian to a dominant victory over visiting Bonners Ferry in a nonconference soccer match on Tuesday afternoon.
Nicholas Sulzbacher scored the first and last goal of the game to lead the Cougars to victory, netting an unassisted goal in the 41st minute to get Stillwater on the board before padding the lead in the 77th on an assist from Darren Kauffman.
Bonners Ferry responded quickly to Sulzbacher’s goal in the opening minute of the second half but a goal from Isaac Neumann in the 51st minute regained the lead for Stillwater before Sulzbacher’s late tally. The Cougars outshot the Badgers 11-5 and keeper Zach Basnett made four saves in the win.
“We came out in the second half and we played much better soccer,” Stillwater coach Ryan O’Rourke said. “We were moving the ball well across the field. Something clicked and the team played very well.”
Bonners Ferry 0 1 — 1
Stillwater 0 3 — 3
SCS—Nicholas Sulzbacher (unassisted), 41’
BF—Isaac Wilson (Ethan Wilson), 44’
SCS—Isaac Neumann (Jorgen Lindborg), 51’
SCS—Sulzbacher (Darren Kauffman), 77’
Shots—SCS 11, BF 5. Saves—SCS 4 (Zack Basnett), BF 8. Corner kicks—SCS 2, BF 2. Fouls—SCS 11, BF 9. Cards—none.
Flathead 0, Hellgate 0
MISSOULA — The Flathead boys played to a scoreless draw against first-place Missoula Hellgate in a Western AA conference match.
The Braves held on despite seeing a barrage of offense from Hellgate, getting outshot in the game 13-3.
Flathead goalkeeper Micah Bucy kept a clean sheet, making nine saves in the tie. Hellgate had five corner kicks and Flathead had three, with neither team able to capitalize on set pieces.
“Micah Bucy really broke out of his shell the last few games and today it showed,” Flathead coach Nate Evans said.
“Our back line played great.”
The Braves are currently on a five-match unbeaten streak and are at .500 this late in the season for the first time in eight years.
“Hellgate is a very strong team, historically and this year especially,” Evans said. “To get out of Missoula with a point is huge for our guys.”
Flathead 0 0 – 0
Hellgate 0 0 – 0
Shots on goal – Flathead 3, Hellgate 13. Saves – Flathead 9 (Micah Bucy), Hellgate 5 (Justin Lane). Corner kicks – Flathead 3, Hellgate 5. Total fouls – Flathead 12, Hellgate 14. Cards – Flathead: yellow. Hellgate: two yellows.
GIRLS
Hellgate 5, Flathead 0
MISSOULA — Missoula Hellgate held Flathead without a shot on goal in a commanding Western AA conference victory.
Andi Carnes and Addy Scott each had a pair of goals in the win, adding to a fifth by Annie Liddle-Broberg.
Flathead keeper Kelsey Gillespie made 11 saves to keep the game relatively close until halftime, when the Knights exploded for four goals after the break.
Flathead 0 0 – 0
Hellgate 1 4 – 5
HGT — Andi Carnes (unassisted), 27:00
HGT — Addy Scott (Georgia Kazemi), 42:00
HGT — Scott (Shawnae Inama), 51:00
HGT — Annie Liddle-Broberg (Sarah Kronner), 53:00
HGT — Carnes (Ava Kazemi), 65:00
Shots on goal — Flathead 0, Hellgate 16. Saves — Flathead 11 (Kelsey Gillespie), Hellgate 0 (Claudia Wiese). Corner kicks – Flathead 1, Hellgate 1. Total fouls – Flathead 4, Hellgate 6. Cards – none.
Stillwater 3, Bonners Ferry 2
A quick start and quick responses to a pair of Bonners Ferry goals helped the Stillwater Christian girls to a nonconference victory over the visting Badgers.
Alma Patrick led the Cougars off with a goal in the eighth minute, scoring an assist from Loren Pittaway.
Bonners Ferry answered near the end of the first half with a goal of their own, but it took just four minutes for Stillwater to return the favor with a goal from Chole Erb with three minutes left in the half. Bonners Ferry scored again in the 74th minute, but it took Stillwater just one minute to respond and retake the lead with a goal from Julie Patrick.
The Cougars were outshot in the contest 11-10 and had one fewer corner kick than Bonners Ferry, but prevailed in the tightly contested match.
“We had a well fought match for 80 minutes tonight,” Stillwater coach JR Hemp said in an email.
“This was certainly our best match of the year.”
Bonners Ferry 1 1 — 2
Stillwater 2 1 — 3
SCS—Alma Patrick (Loren Pittaway), 8’
BF—Kassy Skeen, 33’
SCS—Chole Erb (Julie Patrick), 37’
BF—Falisha Elliston, 74’
SCS—J. Patrick (Jascah Vann), 75’
Shots—SCS 10, BF 11. Saves—SCS 7, BF 6. Corner kicks—SCS 3, BF 4. Fouls—n/a. Cards—none.