AA Soccer Bravettes take down Knights
The Daily Inter Lake
Chloe Mohatt’s late game-winner helped Flathead win its final regular-season match in Western AA girls soccer play on Thursday at Kidsport Complex, a 2-1 victory over Missoula Hellgate.
The Bravettes (5-7-2 overall, 5-5-2 league) needed the victory to finish in fourth place and earn the chance to host a playoff game. It looked promising early, as Flathead struck first in the fourth minute when sophomore Skyleigh Thompson scored off an assist from her sister, senior Shayenn Thompson. But Hellgate (6-3-5, 5-2-5) found the net in the 30th minute to tie the game at a goal apiece.
“Their goal didn’t change our mentality that we were going to win this game,” Flathead coach Bledy Doda said.
The winning goal arrived in the 70th minute. Mohatt received the ball outside the penalty box and placed a shot in the corner of the goal out of reach of the Hellgate goalkeeper.
“It was a phenomenal game,” Doda said. He pointed out junior Chloe Nadeau’s “perfect” work on defense and the excellent play up front from the Thompson sisters.
“Winning five and tying two, that’s a good [regular] season,” Doda said. “We worked hard to finish in fourth.”
Flathead will seek to earn a ticket to the Class AA state tournament when it hosts Helena High in a playoff game next week.
Flathead 1 1 – 2
Hellgate 1 0 – 1
F – Skyleigh Thompson (Shayenn Thompson), 4:00
H – Lucia Baker, 30:00
F – Chloe Mohatt (Skyleigh Thompson), 70:00
Shots on goal – Flathead 11, Hellgate 11; Corner kicks – Flathead 1, Hellgate 2; Keeper saves – Flathead 10 (Aaris Hill), Hellgate 9; Fouls – Flathead 8, Helena 6
Glacier 4,
Missoula Sentinel 2
The Wolfpack girls surged past Missoula Sentinel in the second half to win their regular-season finale on at Glacier High School.
Glacier (2-10-2, 2-9-1) was on the board in less than a minute when sophomore Taylor Brisendine scored on an assist from sophomore Madison Becker.
Sentinel (7-4-3, 5-4-3) responded quickly, finding the net twice before the eighth minute to give the Spartans a 2-1 advantage.
But it could have been 3-1, as Wolfpack goalkeeper Ellie Keller made a brilliant stop on a penalty kick in the third minute.
“It gives your team confidence when your keeper is willing to put herself on the line,” Glacier coach Brenden Byrd said.
Becker converted a penalty kick before halftime to tie the match. Late in the second half, she added a goal that gave the Wolfpack the lead, and Brisendine followed in the 73rd minute with her second goal to make it 4-2.
Junior Emma Paulson assisted on both second-half goals.
Byrd said his team found its rhythm in the second half, and its constant pressure kept the Spartans from pushing forward. He said the girls showed “resilience and grit” and refused to give up after allowing two early goals.
“We’ve been building all year and sometimes it’s best to peak late in the season,” Byrd said. “Our girls are ready to peak.”
Glacier’s seventh-place finish means it will go on the road for a playoff play-in game at Helena Capital. The winner of that match will visit Sentinel for a shot at a state tournament appearance.
Glacier 2 2 – 4
Sentinel 2 0 – 2
G – Taylor Brisendine (Madison Becker), 1:00
S – Aisley Allen (Quinn Peacock), 4:00
S – Allen (Makayla Sanders), 8:00
G – Becker (penalty kick), 31:00
G – Becker (Emma Paulson), 68:00
G – Brisendine (Paulson), 73:00
Shots on goal – Glacier 10, Sentinel 14; Corner kicks – Glacier 3, Sentinel 3; Keeper saves – Glacier 9 (Ellie Keller 5, Sophie Smith 4); Fouls – Glacier 3, Sentinel 8
Boys
Missoula Hellgate 2,
Flathead 0
Flathead ended the regular season by falling at home to the Western AA champions.
The undefeated Knights (13-0-1, 11-0-1) scored two early goals and the Braves (7-7, 5-7) created few opportunities to score.
Senior midfielder Colter Goss — who scored a hat trick in Flathead’s 4-3 victory over Missoula Sentinel on Tuesday — was out with an illness.
“We finished the season really strong,” Flathead coach Zach Brenneman said. “We really refocused after the first half of the season.”
Brenneman credited his center backs for helping stifle the Knights attack and junior Jalen Hawes for his impressive play in the midfield.
“I think we can be a state contender and make a run,” Brenneman said.
Flathead finishes the season in fifth place, and will visit fourth-place Helena Capital in a playoff game next week. The winner earns a trip to the state tournament.
Flathead 0 0 – 0
Hellgate 2 0 – 2
H – 5:00
H – 13:00
Shots on goal - Flathead 3, Hellgate 15; Corner kicks – Flathead 0, Hellgate 6; Keeper saves - Flathead 13 (Max Warnell 12, Ethan Tanko 1); Fouls – Flathead 6, Hellgate 12; Cards – Hellgate 1 yellow
Missoula Sentinel 2,
Glacier 0
Sentinel scored two early goals and held on to defeat Glacier in a hard-fought regular season finale.
The Spartans (9-5, 7-5) pressed early, needing a victory to finish third in Western AA, and scored in the fifth and 10th minutes. But Glacier (3-11, 2-10) responded and created numerous chances of its own as the match continued.
“We really tightened things up after the goals,” Glacier coach Ryan Billiet said. “We had so many opportunities but couldn’t find the net.”
The Wolfpack finished with 10 shots on goal while Sentinel had 15.
“[The team] played with a lot of heart and emotion,” Billiet said.
Glacier finishes the regular season in sixth place, and hosts seventh-place Big Sky in a playoff game on Tuesday. The winner will visit Sentinel for a spot in the state tournament.
Glacier 0 0 – 0
Sentinel 2 0 – 2
S – Matt Balridge, 5:00
S – Dane Becker, 10:00
Shots on goal – Glacier 10, Sentinel 15; Corner kicks – Glacier 4, Sentinel 4; Keeper saves – Glacier 8 (Andrew Lorenc), Sentinel 8; Fouls – Glacier 10, Sentinel 10