Golan tops in state scoring; C-Falls teams sweep Bigfork
BIGFORK — Columbia Falls’ Kai Golan became the state’s leading goal scorer Tuesday after scoring two in the Wildcats’ 6-0 romp over the Bigfork Vikings in Northwest A soccer.
Golan has 16 goals and is two away from breaking a Columbia Falls school record for goals scored in a single season. The Cats have two other players among the top five scorers in the state: Findley Sundberg and Dale Blickhan.
“That’s fun to think about because it’s not just one guy,” coach O’Brien Byrd said. “It’s three or four guys that can put the ball away.”
Golan added an assist to his goals, and Blickhan had two assists and a goal. Sundberg assisted on an own goal by Bigfork in the 12th minute and Blickhan’s in the 74th.
“Today’s game was great,” Byrd said. “Our tempo is so fast, our speed of play is breathtaking. Fun to see that build slowly and steady throughout the season, hopefully we can keep it going.”
Bryce Dunham had six saves in his fifth shutout of the season.
“In the same breath you’ve got to mention our back line,” Byrd said. “It’s pretty stout. We’re fast, we’re strong, we’re experienced.”
The Wildcats are 7-1-1 overall and 4-1 in league with a game against undefeated Whitefish on Saturday. Bigfork is 3-5-1 and 2-3-2.
Columbia Falls 3 3 — 6
Bigfork 0 0 — 0
CF — Bigfork own goal (Findley Sundberg) 12:00
CF — Kai Golan (George Robbins) 34:00
CF — Ethan Austin (Dale Blickhan) 36:00
CF — Golan (Blickhan) 55:00
CF — Nico Lang 70:00
CF — Blickhan (Sundberg) 74:00
Shots — CF 20, Bigfork 3. Goalie saves — CF 6 (Bryce Dunham), Bigfork 17 (Caden Riedesel). Corner kicks — CF 3, Bigfork 1. Fouls — CF 5, Bigfork 3. Cards — none.
Girls
Columbia Falls 4, Bigfork 3
BIGFORK — Maddie Robison’s hat trick helped the Columbia Falls Wildkats survive a late surge by the Bigfork Valkyries and win 4-3.
“Not a bad thing for our team to have to handle some adversity before playoffs,” coach Thomas Clark said.
Columbia Falls led 3-1 into the half off goals by Robison and Sydney Mann. Bigfork’s Scout Nadeau scored on a free kick late in the first half and again in the 74th minute. Brette Guenzler added a penalty kick goal late in the second half but by then Robison had already scored her third goal.
Robison’s 19 goals are third in the state.
“Maddie Robison with a really impressive performance against a team that’s going to put a high number of players behind the ball,” Clark said. “Getting a hat trick when every team is trying to shut you down every shift is really impressive.”
Up next for the Wildkats (7-2, 4-1) is undefeated Whitefish on Saturday. The Valkyries are 5-4 and 2-3.
Columbia Falls 3 1 — 4
Bigfork 1 2 — 3
CF — Maddie Robison (Hope McAtee) 10:00
CF — Robison (McAtee) 30:00
CF — Sydney Mann (Robison) 33:00
B — Scout Nadeau (free kick) 32:00
CF — Robison (McAtee) 61:00
B — Brette Guenzler (PK) 64:00
B — Nadeau 74:00
Shots — CF 18, Bigfork 9. Goalie saves — CF 6 (Zoey Byrd), Bigfork
12 (Catherine Panor). Corner kicks — CF 6, Bigfork 2. Fouls — CF 12 Bigfork 10. Cards — CF yellow.