By DAVID LESNICK

The Daily Inter Lake

If you are wondering why the Class A state soccer playoffs, which begin today, have a very familiar look to it, it's because seven of last year's postseason participants are back in the boys bracket, while six of eight return for the girls.

Belgrade is the lone newcomer in the boys field, replacing Bigfork.

Livingston and Frenchtown are in this year with the girls, replacing Corvallis and Columbia Falls.

And Libby's boys and the Billings Central's girls are both back and looking to defend their titles.

The Loggers captured their first ever state championship last fall with a 2-1 shootout victory over Billings Central. The Billings Central girls, on the other hand, had a much easier time of it, leading 3-0 at the half and coasting to a 4-1 victory over Whitefish in the championship match.

Both champions open the playoffs today at home - Hamilton faces Libby at 2 p.m. and it's Stevensville versus Billings Central at 1 p.m.

Stevensville and Billings Central also squared off in the first round of the playoffs last year.

Libby (9-3-0 overall and 6-2-0 Northwestern A) finished second to Whitefish in the boys conference standings, which were decided on the final day of the regular season last Saturday.

For the Billings Central girls (11-0-0 and 6-0-0 Eastern A), there was less drama this fall. They easily repeated as conference champs.

Like Billings Central, the Libby girls will put their perfect record on the line today at home in a playoff opener versus Livingston (3-5-2). These two teams met back on Sept. 5 in

Libby with the Loggers claiming a tight 1-0 victory.

The Loggers (11-0-0) have perhaps the best scoring punch in the state, all classes, with Anna Valentine and Jaime Gilden.

Valentine, who scored the lone goal against Livingston earlier this year, has scored 15 this season, which is third best in the state for Class A, but has a Class A state best 14 assists for a Class A state best 44 points.

Gilden has scored 19 goals, which is a state best, and has four assists for 42 points, which is good for third place in the scoring standings.

Jackie Elliott of Billings Central is second in goals scored with 17. She has nine assists for 43 points, which puts her No. 2. She scored two goals and added an assist in last year's championship match.

Billings Central's Taylor O'Toole has nine goals and six assists for 24 points, which ties her for seventh. O'Toole scored a goal and had an assist in last year's title match.

Libby fell in the playoff semifinals to Billings Central, 3-2 in overtime, last year to finish the season with an 11-2-1 record.

Corvallis (9-2-0) enters boys action as one of the favorites, again. However last year the Blue Devils were knocked off by Bigfork 1-0 in the first round of playoff action.

The Blue Devils are led by Class A's top goal scorer, Aaron Jessop with 13. Whitefish's Travis Adams is next with 11.

Jessop, with three assists, and Adams, with five, are tied for first in scoring with 29 points.

Libby's Nick Reny is tied for fifth in the point standings with 23. He has eight goals and seven assists. Teammate Cree Maloney is next on the team in scoring with seven goals and five assists.

The Whitefish boys (8-3-1) and girls (6-4-2) both have first-round games at home today. The boys entertain Livingston (5-4-1) at noon, while the girls follow with Frenchtown (6-5-0) at 2 p.m.

Class A Soccer

State Playoffs

Today

Boys

11 a.m. - Stevensville at Billings Central

Noon - Livingston at Whitefish

2 p.m. - Hamilton at Libby

3 p.m. - Belgrade at Corvallis

Girls

Noon - Belgrade at Hamilton

Noon - Livingston at Libby

1 p.m. - Stevensville at Billings Central

2 p.m. - Frenchtown at Whitefish