Valkyries stun top-seeded Laurel

LAUREL — In a weekend filled with unexpected results, Bigfork’s 3-2 win over Eastern No. 1 seed Laurel in a Class A soccer quarterfinal on Saturday might have been the most shocking.

Laurel has won five state titles since 2014 and was unbeaten heading into Saturday’s game. But Bigfork had a 2-0 lead less than 20 minutes into the game with goals from Paeten Gunlock and Danika Bucklin, who buried a penalty kick.

Laurel’s Kaitlyn Dantic cut the lead in half just before halftime, but by then the Valkyries had all the momentum.

Brynn Bagley gave Bigfork some cushion with a goal with less than 20 minutes on the clock, and though Laurel kept pushing and Darby Boehler got the Locomotives within one, the Valkyries held on for the upset.

Combined with Whitefish's victory over Billings Central, that means there will be a different Class A girls champion this year (either Billings Central or Laurel have won the title since 2007).

In the semifinal, Bigfork (8-3-2) will visit Columbia Falls, who has tied the Vals 4-4 and 2-2 in other meetings this fall.