By TERESA BYRD

Hungry Horse News

The Columbia Falls boys soccer tied Whitefish Thursday night 1-1 at the Flip Darling Memorial Field.

It was a big night for the crosstown rivals who went head-to-head as two of the best teams in the conference, according to Wildcat head coach O’Brien Byrd. The game showed the two were well matched, with both teams taking turns controlling the field.

“It was a tale of two halves. We had most of the control in the first half; they had most of the control in the second half,” said Byrd.

The Bulldogs scored early in the first half and the Cats caught up when sophomore midfielder Walton Nichols scored a goal in the 20th minute.

Sophomores Dale Blickhan and Josiah Kilman showcased a lockdown defense by shutting down Whitefish’s two best players on the wing, Byrd said.

Goalkeeper Bryce Dunham returned to play his first game in two weeks and picked up right where he left off by coming through with at least three big saves in the second half.

All in all it was a solid night for the young Wildcats against the perennially accomplished Bulldogs.

“We wanted to win, but we just tied the defending state champs,” said Byrd. “We’re happy with the result, but this is just passing the buck on to the next time we play Whitefish in two weeks. Obviously the winner of that game will win the conference.”