Columbia Falls boys win first soccer title since 2005

COLUMBIA FALLS — They saved their best game for last, and at the end they were crowned state champions.

The Columbia Falls Wildcats rode a four-goal lead into halftime and charged to a 5-2 victory over the Livingston Rangers in the boys Class A soccer championship at Flip Darling Memorial Field on Saturday.

“Their best game, on the biggest stage under the biggest set of lights,” Wildcats coach O’Brien Byrd said. “It was amazing. I'm just so relieved.”

It was the Wildcats’ first state title in 17 years and the first time since 2004 that Columbia Falls played for a title on its own turf. Many of the players that hoisted the first-place trophy weren’t even born then.

“I feel just this massive amount of relief and joy,” Byrd said. “It's hard to describe — 17 years. These guys weren't even alive when we won state last. And it's just such a huge piece of history. This team is amazing. It's full of amazing young men who are brilliant soccer players, but also fantastic characters.

“I've been very fortunate to be able to coach them and I'm just so relieved and so happy that they can lift this trophy on their last day. We feel really special today, that's for sure.”

The past two years ended with losses to Whitefish in the state final.

As a coach this is Byrd’s fifth state title. He won four as coach of Whitefish before his departure in 2015.

Columbia Falls also ended up with a 15-0-0 record, the best in school history. Goalkeeper Bryce Dunham tied the school record with nine shutouts.

“I think as they always say, ‘Third time’s the charm,’” senior Finley Sundberg said. “Our third time being in the state championship and we finally won it. So it's just crazy to think about.”

The urgency was obvious from the start — the Wildcats looked as though they’d been shot from a gun.

Dale Blickhan found a lane in the 20th minute and his shot flew just out of the Livingston keeper’s reach.

“We wanted to get that first goal early and I think when we got it, momentum just kept going and we just kept going, you know?,” Sundberg said.

Next to strike was junior Kai Golan, the forward who broke his back in last year’s state title game and has worked his way back to top form. Golan scored in the 26th minute with a shot from his left foot that soared just under the crossbar.

He wasn’t done yet. Before the half, Golan scored twice more, completing a hat trick with a header goal after a rebound bounced his way, and the Wildcats settled into a comfortable 4-0 lead.

“He never fails to come up big in those big moments,” Byrd said of Golan.

Livingston’s Calvin Caplis is one of the top scorers in Class A, and he got the Rangers on the board in the 49th minute.

One minute later, Sundberg hit the back of the net to make it 5-1 Wildcats.

“I just feel like, ecstatic .... best in the state,” Sundberg said. This was our game to win. And I think we went out there and we showed them that it was our game.”

By this point, starting keeper Dunham had been replaced by Rafe Rusche in net and starters were on the bench. Backup keeper Braeden Fairchild took a few shifts at forward and had a scoring chance.

“Everybody got in the game,” Byrd said. “I think that's important. How lucky am I to be able to be in a position to put everybody in the game? I'm so lucky. I'm so happy the guys really got it done, that they put us in a position that everybody could get in and play. And I'm really thankful for that too.”

Caplis added another goal in the 66th minute, but the Wildcats held up their lead until the final whistle.

Dunham and Rusche combined for 14 saves, and Sundberg picked up two assists. Blickhan and Max Everett also had one assist each.

Livingston 0 2 — 2

Columbia Falls 4 1 — 5

CF - Dale Blickhan (Max Everett) 20:00

CF - Kai Golan (Blickhan) 26:00

CF - Golan (Finley Sundberg) 31:00

CF - Golan (Sundberg) 36:00

L - Calvin Caplis 49:00

CF- Sundberg (Golan) 50:00

L - Caplis 66:00

Shots — Livingston 13, CF 22; Goalie saves — Livingston 11, CF 14 (Bryce Dunham 10, Rafe Rusche 4); Corner kicks — Livingston 4, CF 5; Fouls — Livingston 12, CF 9.