Polson FC doesn’t shy away from playing bigger teams from Idaho,

Washington and Canada

COEUR D'ALENE - The Polson FC 18U boys team traveled to Coeur d'Alene last weekend to take on some quality opponents far from home.

"We played some really good teams and for the most part we held our own," head coach Jeff Heutmaker said. "The teams from Spokane and Coeur d'Alene just have more players from their area to pick from."

Polson FC was short-handed because of injury, but still kept things close. They lost to the Spokane Sting 4-2 despite some clever play from the Montana boys. Trever Moll had both of the team's goals, one was a 25-yard blast and the other was an ingenious "dummy" play by Clay Frissell.

Regular Polson goalie, Clay Frissell was playing out in the field and acted like he was about to receive the ball before letting it go behind him to Moll. Heutmaker said the ball would have probably been blocked if Frissell would have taken it, but Moll was able to put it in the corner of the net.

On the same day, Polson FC lost narrowly to the Couer d'Alene Sting 2-1 as Sean Hart got the team's lone goal.

"We had some really good chances are the end," Heutmaker said. "Our intensity level was high at the end."

On Sunday, Polson FC tied Creston 1-1 as Riley Lemm nailed a 22-yard shot. The team had several chances to win the game as the ball hit the crossbar or post at least four times.

"I kicked the ball from a long way out and it bounced over the goalie's hand into the side netting of the goal," Lemm said. "It felt good to finally score and give our team the tie."

Overall it was a good test for the team as they got to play other squads from outside of Montana from heavily populated areas with strong select teams.

"Our core players are as good as any in that tournament," Heutmaker said.

This weekend, Polson FC travels to Stevensville to play Ravalia United and FC Missoula.

Polson Co-ed plays close one with Big Timber

BOZEMAN - While the Polson FC 18U co-ed team lost a 6-2 contest to Lewiston, they bounced back to play a close 3-2 matchup against Big Timber later in the day.

"It was a pretty rough game, we had one sub this weekend and it was just tough," head coach Jess Kittle said of the Lewiston game. "They've got a pretty good team this year and then they would just throw in fresh legs."

While the kids certainly didn't complain about all the running and playing time, and certainly didn't try to show they were tired or getting tired, a running game like soccer tends to take its toll after time.

Against Big Timber, Polson FC jumped back from a 2-0 deficit in the first half to tie things up.

"In Bozeman, it was extremely windy and in the second half we had a little bit more of a wind advantage," Kittle said. "We possessed the ball a lot more."

Polson FC scored its two goals in the first 17 minutes of the second half and had chances in the last half hour of the game.

"We hit the crossbar two times in that last half an hour," Kittle said.

Big Timber got a breakaway in the last minute and score the game winning goal, but the improved play wasn't lost on Kittle.

"I think we definitely played better in the second game," he said.

Kittle praised the goalie play of Laura Rost, who has been filling in for sickness-stricken Jacie Morrison. He also felt Chantal Gustine's play in the midfield was superb and liked what he saw from Ryan Windauer, who scored three of the four goals by Polson FC over the weekend.

"He'd be back on defense and then up on the attack," Kittle said. "He played two full games and was all over the field."