McAtee’s 8-point game lifts Wildkats over Pirates
Hope McAtee’s two goals and six assists lifted the Columbia Falls Wildkats to a 9-1 victory over the Polson Pirates in Northern A soccer on Tuesday.
McAtee, a junior, leads the state with 18 assists and her 16 goals are tied for fourth-most.
"Very excited to continue to stack quality performances at this point in the season, and our main priority coming into this game was to ensure that it was another momentum boost as we head into the win or go home games,” Wildkat coach Thomas Clark said.
Senior Sydney Mann and freshman Mila Johns each scored two goals, and Josie Harris and Tayler Lingle pitched in with one apiece for the Wildcats (7-4-0, 2-3-0).
"I'm so proud of the way that our young underclassmen have played this year, we have two sophomore center backs and three starting freshmen, they all have been tremendous this season,” Clark said. “It was pretty fun watching Mila Johns score two goals tonight, she's a special player."
For Polson (2-8-0, 2-3-0), Addyson Gallatin scored in the 49th minute.
Polson 0 1 — 1
Columbia Falls 4 5 — 9
CF - Hope McAtee 7:00
CF - Josie Harris (Kyra Bruner) 10:00
CF - Sydney Mann (McAtee) 18:00
CF - Mann (McAtee) 20:00
CF - Mila Johns (McAtee) 42:00
CF - Mann (McAtee) 43:00
P - Addyson Gallatin 49:00
CF - Tayler Lingle (McAtee) 61:00
CF - Johns (McAtee) 69:00
CF - McAtee 72:00
Shots — Polson 8, CF 25; Goalie saves — Polson 16, CF 7 (Zoey Byrd)
BOYS
Columbia Falls 8, Polson 0
The Columbia Falls Wildcats poured it on in the second half to beat Northern A foe Polson 8-0 Tuesday.
Finley Sundberg scored twice and had three assists. His 18 goals are the most in the state. Dale Blickhan also scored twice and tallied one assist.
Senior Adam Schrader scored once and picked up two assists for the Wildcats (11-0-0 overall, 7-0-0 conference)
“The boys are continuing to impress,” Columbia Falls coach O’Brien Byrd said. “A lot of times teams at the end of the regular season will sputter and you will see a little bit of burn out or a lull in energy and effort. Complacency can settle in. It seems like we understand that we need to save the best soccer for October. The games that mean absolutely everything start next week. Playoffs.”
Polson falls to 2-8-0, 2-4-0.
This week is the last for regular season games and playoffs for Class A begin next week.
Polson 0 0 – 0
Columbia Falls 2 6 – 8
CF - Kai Golan (Finley Sundberg) 1:00
CF - Adam Schrader (Dale Blickhan) 13:00
CF - Blickhan 42:00
CF - Schrader (Walt Nichols) 46:00
CF - Finley Sundberg (Schrader) 48:00
CF - Sundberg (Schrader) 55:00
CF - Nichols (Sundberg) 75:00
CF - Blickhan (Sundberg) 76:00
Shots — Polson 4, CF 31; Goalie saves — Polson 16, CF 3: Corner kicks — Polson 1, CF 5; Fouls — Polson 8, CF 7.