Hellgate sweeps Flathead

The Daily Inter Lake

The Flathead boys nearly knocked off the defending state champs, leading into the second half before the Missoula Hellgate Knights edged out a 2-1 Western AA conference boys soccer victory on Thursday at Kidsports Complex.

Braves senior Hansen Eyestad broke open the game with a goal in the 23rd minute and Flathead carried its lead into halftime.

Hellgate evened the score on a well-placed free kick and a lucky bounce off a Flathead defender gave the Knights the lead with 15 minutes to play. While Flathead outshot the champs, it couldn’t get an equalizer late.

“It was a really competitive match. It was a great battle and a great test for our guys,” Flathead coach Nate Evans said.

“For us to come out and get an early lead was nice. We had a lot of momentum in the first half. They’re Hellgate, they came back.

“It’s a tough way to lose that game. I’m really proud of the way our team has played. The kids really mentally responded well. I’m proud of their effort. The game could’ve gone either way.”

Flathead’s next action is versus Glacier on Tuesday at Legends Stadium.

Missoula Hellgate 0 2 — 2

Flathead 1 0 — 1

F — Hansen Eyestad (Walt Hollensteiner), 23:00

MH — Cole Hage (free kick), 55:00

MH — Flathead own goal, 66:00

Shots on goal — Hellgate 6, Flatead 6; Corner kicks — Hellgate 10, Flathead 9; Goalie saves — Hellgate 8 (Aaron Young), Flathead 11 (Max Warnell); Fouls —Hellgate 19, Flathead 17; Cards — Hellgate, yellow 3. Flathead 2.

Glacier 4, Big Sky 0

Rohit Tappeta assisted on the first goal and finished the scoring with a goal at 65 minutes as Glacier blanked Missoula Big Sky in a Western AA matchup.

Glacier (5-0-2 overall, 3-0-2 league) had two goals in each half.

Tyler Keller scored twice and Brady Schultz once for the Wolfpack.

Glacier coach Ryan Billiet said it was special to “just to have an opportunity to be one of the first matches ever at Legends Stadium and make history. It was nice to get a feel for the surface in preparation for the crosstown (on Tuesday with Flathead).”

Billiett said Glacier moved the ball well and was very patient and calm.

“We showed a lot of maturity,” he added.

Glacier outshot Big Sky on goal 26-3.

Missoula Big Sky 0 0 — 0

Glacier 2 2 — 4

G — Brady Schultz (Rohit Tappeta), 31:00

G — Tyler Keller (Ben Bridwell), 37:00

G — Keller (Conner Heil), 58:00

G — Tappeta (Micah Reason), 65:00

Shots on goal — Big Sky 3, Glacier 26; Corner kicks — Big Sky 0, Glacier 5; Goalie saves — Big Sky 18 (Devin Jacaruso), Glacier 3 (Andrew Lorenc); Fouls — Big Sky 5, Glacier 6; Cards — None.

Bigfork 4, Libby 0

BIGFORK — Four different players figured in the scoring as Bigfork blanked Libby in a Northern A matchup.

Netting goals for Bigfork were Kalvin Eaton, Jacob Herd, Zane Gardner and Jeremy Herd.

It was Bigfork’s first win of the season and its first since 2015.

“We got a young team,” Bigfork coach Joe Feise said.

“We didn’t have a team last year. It’s been a struggle getting going, but I think we’re improving.

“We came out pretty good. Right away we were pressing. We were able to keep it in their end for quite awhile and got one in.”

Libby 0 0 — 0

Bigfork 1 3 — 4

B — Kalvin Eaton, 15:00

B — Jacob Herd, 47:00

B — Zane Gardner, 66:00

B — Jeremy Herd, 79:00

Shots on Goal — Libby 7, Bigfork 23; Corner kicks — Libby 3, Bigfork 2; Goalie saves — Libby 19 (Tyler Lucas), Bigfork 7 (Dainen Webster); Fouls — NA; Cards — None.

Polson 3, Columbia Falls 1

COLUMBIA FALLS — Polson never trailed in downing Columbia Falls.

Keyan Dalbey, Mack Moderie and Michael Vergeront put Polson up 3-0.

Auguste Emond scored on a penalty kick for Columbia Falls.

Polson outshot Columbia Falls on goal 21-5.

Polson 1 2 — 3

Columbia Falls 0 1 — 1

P — Keyan Dalbey

P — Mack Moderie

P — Michael Vergeront

C — Auguste Emond, pk

Shots on goals — Polson 21, Columbia Falls 5; Corner kicks — Polson 5, Columbia Falls 4; Goalie saves — Polson 9 (Russell Smith), Columbia Falls 18 (Story Stemborski); Fouls — Polson 7, Columbia Falls 8; Cards — Polson, 1 yellow

Girls

Glacier 3, Big Sky 1

Maddie Becker and Cadie Williams both had one goal and one assist to lead Glacier past Missoula Big Sky in Western AA action at Legends Stadium.

Ellie Stevens had the other goal and Micah Hickethier the other assist for Glacier (6-0-1 overall, 4-0-1 league).

“Our defense had an outstanding game against a very fast and powerful Big Sky team,” Glacier coach Brenden Byrd said.

“The girls dug deep and played extremely hard. We had some new players on field and for the first time on turf, I was proud of our performance.”

Missoula Big Sky 0 1 — 1

Glacier 2 1 — 3

G — Maddie Becker (Cadie Williams), 2:00

G — Ellie Stevens (Becker), 20:00

MBS — Whitney Morrison (Jasmine Schreckendgust), 42:00

G — Williams (Micah Hickethier), 55:00

Shots on goal — Big Sky 10, Glacier 15; Corner kicks — Big Sky 2, Glacier 10; Goalie saves — Big Sky 11 (Ukiah Belarde), Glacier 4 (Sophie Smith); Fouls — Big Sky 1, Glacier 6; Cards — None.

Hellgate 3, Flathead 1

A pair of early goals by Missoula Hellgate allowed the Knights to knock off Flathead in a Western AA contest at Kidsports Complex.

Elaina Pierce and McKell Wilson scored at 2 minutes, 20 seconds and 3:50 for Hellgate.

A goal by Sara Clarin at 28 minutes put Flathead within one, but Hellgate added a late goal by Pierce at 50 minutes.

“Those two early goals made the difference,” Flathead coach Jenni Sipe said. “It was a pretty even battle.

“Aaris (Hill) had a great game in goal,” Sipe added. “We had trouble finding the net.”

Up next for Flathead is the first crosstown battle of the season on Tuesday.

Missoula Hellgate 2 1 — 3

Flathead 1 0 — 1

MH — Elaina Pierce, 2:20

MH — McKell Wilson, 3:50

F — Sara Clarin (Kami Barrow), 28:17

MH — Pierce, 50:00

Shots on goal — Hellgate 22, Flathead 35; Corner kicks — Hellgate 2, Flathead 8; Goalie saves — Hellgate NA, Flathead 16 (Aaris Hill); Fouls — Hellgate 13, Flathead 7; Cards — None.

Bigfork 4, Libby 0

BIGFORK — Madison Garner had the first and last goals while Ashton McAnally netted the two middle ones as Bigfork blanked Libby in a Northern A match.

It was Bigfork’s first victory of the season after opening with four losses.

“It’s nice to see the moral up a little bit,” Bigfork coach Jens Sundem said.

“They fought hard, played well and finally got rewarded.”

Ellie Berreth, in her first year of soccer, had nine keeper saves for Bigfork.

Bigfork is back in action with a Northern A contest on Tuesday at Polson.

Libby 0 0 — 0

Bigfork 2 2 — 4

B — Madison Gardner, 19:00

B — Ashton McAnally, 29:00

B — McAnally, 72:00

B — Gardner, 77:00

Shots on goal — Libby 10, Bigfork 19; Corner kicks — Libby 0, Bigfork 3; Goalie saves — Libby 9 (Bethany Thomas), Bigfork 9 (Ellie Berreth); Fouls — NA; Cards — Bigfork, 1 yellow

Columbia Falls 6, Polson 5

COLUMBIA FALLS — Columbia Falls got off to as good of a start as it could have imagined against conference foe Polson.

The Wildkats scored four quick goals, providing themselves a comfortable early margin.

It didn’t last.

Columbia Falls withstood a second-half charge from Polson, outlasting the Pirates on Thursday night.

“It was cardiac arrest,” Columbia Falls head coach O’Brien Byrd said.

Hannah Gedlaman kicked off the scoring in the first minute and added another goal in the 14th minute, but not before Lakia Hill netted a shot in the sixth minute.

Josie Windauer, who assisted on both Gedlaman goals, scored next to give Columbia Falls a 4-0 lead just 19 minutes into the contest.

“After that fourth goal, we let off the gas,” Byrd said.

Polson’s Marina Mayorga took advantage, scoring three goals in 19 minutes to close the margin entering the half.

Ashlee Howell, who assisted on Mayorga’s third goal, scored twice in the second half to tie it, but Windauer scored in the 76th minute — completing her hat trick — and stopped a breakawy in the final minute to preserve a wild victory for the Wildkats.

“In the end, I think we made it hard on ourselves because we let Polson back in the game,” Byrd said, “but we’re definitely happy to get the victory at home.”

Polson 3 2 — 5

Columbia Falls 5 1 — 6

CF — Hannah Gedlaman (Josie Windauer), 1:00

CF — Lakia Hill, 6:00

CF — Gedlaman (Windauer), 14:00

CF — Windauer (Hannah Callender), 19:00

P — Marina Mayorga, 30:00

CF — Windauer (Hill), 35:00

P — Mayorga, 37:00

P — Mayorga (Ashlee Howell), 39:00

P — Howell (Mayorga), 59:00

P — Howell (River Shoemake), 64:00

CF — Windauer, 76:00

Shots on goal — Columbia Falls 27, Polson 14. Goalie saves — Columbia Falls 14 (Madeline Jarvis, Polson 27 (Megan Post). Corner kicks — Columbia Falls 6, Polson 3. Fouls — Columbia Falls 6, Polson 4. Cards — None.