Soccer: Wildcats tip Whitefish boys, 4-2
WHITEFISH — Maxwell Everett scored a hat trick, including the go-ahead goal in the 63 rd minute, and Columbia Falls knocked off defending state champion Whitefish 4-2 in boys soccer Tuesday.
The Cat-Dog doubleheader ended with a 3-3 draw between the Whitefish and Columbia Falls girls.
In the opener, Everett scored twice in the first half off assists by keeper Rafe Rusche and Jack Harris, but Whitefish got the equalizer each time, on goals from Logan Bingham and Elijiah Adams-Griffin. It was 2-2 at intermission.
“It was good day,” Columbia Falls boys’ coach O’Brien Byrd said. “There was a dance party in the parking lot, for at least two songs. “Max, I think it’s his fifth hat track in six games.”
Whitefish’s goals marked the third and fourth scored upon the Wildcats (6-0 overall, 3-0 league) this season. The Bulldogs fell to 4-2, 2-1 in the North A.
“They’ve got a new look team and they gave us everything we possibly could take, right to the very end,” Byrd said. “We’re looking forward to playing them again.”
Columbia Falls won the 2022 title, the program’s fourth, before Whitefish won its 10th championship last fall.
“We’ve been telling the boys all season — this is officially the halfway mark — they’re quite possibly the best team in the state, they just have to believe it,” Byrd said. “Not only did i see a lot of joy, beating the defending state champs, but I saw a lot of belief. Which is massive. Belief and confidence is massive.”
Bruno Felijo converted a free kick for the Wildcats’ fourth goal, in the final minute of regulation.
C-Falls 2 2 - 4
Whitefish 2 0 - 2
CF — Maxwell Everett (Rafe Rusche), 7:00
W — Logan Bingham (Griffin Gunlikson), 8:00
CF — Everett (Jack Harris), 18:00
W — Elijah Adams-Griffin (Griffin Johnson), 23:00
CF — Everett (Connor Zumat), 63:00
CF — Bruno Felijo (free kick), 80:00
Shots on goal — Columbia Falls 6, Whitefish 8. Keeper saves — Columbia Falls, Rafe Rosche (9), Whitefish, Charlie Dow (6). Corner kicks — Columbia Falls 2, Whitefish 6. Fouls — Columbia Falls 4, Whitefish 8. Yellow cards — Columbia Falls 2, Whitefish 2.
Whitefish girls 3, Columbia Falls 3
In the nightcap, Whitefish got goals from Georgia Morrell and Anna Guzman in the final seven minutes of regulation to forge a tie with the Wildkats.
Delaney Smith also scored for the defending champion Bulldogs, bringing them into a 1-1 tie in the match’s 23rd minute.
“Classic cross-town game,” Whitefish girls coach Kelly Ordway said. “Our defense played strong but they snuck two goals in on us and we were down 3-1 with eight minutes remaining.
“Macie Schmidt was driving the ball out on defense with speed, and Taylor Dorvalls was playing full blast, which helped keep up our intensity and focus.”
Ordway called Morrell’s long shot from the right wing “gorgeous,” then said Smith cut back a perfect pass to Guzman for the equalizer.
“The Lady Bulldogs played with heart and grit to end with a tie that feld like a win,” she added.
Evie Dorr had put Columbia Falls ahead 1-0, and Riley Byrd and Taylor Rogers each found the next as the Kats went up 3-1 in the second half. Byrd assisted on Rogers’ goal.
“The girls played really well, especially throughout the majority of the second half and scored some fantastic goals,” Clark said. “Championship-caliber teams know how to put teams away, and this something we will continue to work on and learn from.”
C-Falls 1 2 - 3
Whitefish 1 2 - 3
CF — Evie Dorr, 9:00
W — Delaney Smith (Charlize Ullrich), 25:00
CF — Riley Byrd, 45:00
CF — Taylor Rodgers
W — Georgia Morrell, 73:00
W — Anna Guzman (Smith), 78:00
Shots on goal — Columbia Falls 22, Whitefish 15. Keeper saves — Columbia Falls, Eric Burguiere 12, Whitefish, Jacie Solem 19. Corner kicks — Columbia Falls 1, Whitefish 1. Fouls — Columbia Falls 5, Whitefish 11.
Elsewhere
Big Sky girls 5, Flathead 1
MISSOULA — Addy Schneider scored to give Flathead the early lead, but Missoula Big Sky — getting a goal and assist from Lauren Martin sandwiched around an own-goal — prevailed.
Flathead 1 0 - 1
Big Sky 1 4 - 5
F — Addy Schneider, 14:00
MBS — Lauren Martin, 32:00
MBS — Own goal, 44:00
MBS — Emma Keller (Martin), 47:00
MBS — unavailable, 66:00
MBS — Berkley Widaman, 76:00
Shots on goal — Flathead 1, Big Sky 5. Keeper saves — Flathead 1, Big Sky 0. Corner kicks — Flathead 2, Big Sky 7. Fouls — Flathead 3, Big Sky 5.
Sandpoint girls JV 5, Stillwater Christian 3
Midge Eiseman and Natalie Smith scored goals to twice give Stillwater Christian leads in the first half, but Braelyn Morton’s hat trick gave the Sandpoint, Idaho junior varsity a leg up.
Alyssa Porter added two goals and an assist for Sandpoint. Eiseman scored a second goal late, and had an assist.
SCS — Midge Eiseman, 11:00
SP — Braelyn Morton, 12:00
SCS — Natalie Smith (Eiseman), 27:00
SP — Morton, 30:00
SP — Morton (Alyssa Porter), 465:00
SP — Porter, 49:00
SP — Porter, 53:00
SCS — Eiseman (PK), 55:00