The Whitefish boys and girls had banner soccer seasons in 2023, ending with State A championships for both programs. 

Now it might be Columbia Falls’ turn.

Who says no? Not the coaches of the Wildcats (O’Brien Byrd) or Wildkats (Thomas Clark). “We have 10 seniors,” Byrd said Thursday. “When Columbia Falls has 10 seniors in its soccer program, there’s a good chance we have a chance at something special. Last time we had that many seniors was 2022.” 

The Wildcats won the State A boys championship that year. 

The Wildkats lost some potent scoring through graduation, but return a large number of experienced players, including three juniors and three sophomores. 

“It was exciting to be able to make a state championship with such a young team last year,” said Clark. “We had some great seniors, big impact players, and we had nine more players in that game that played huge roles. And we have some incoming players that are going to do big things as well.  

“We’re fully reloaded and excited.” 

The season begins in Laurel Friday for both programs, who would appear to be favored to win the tough North A. 

GIRLS

The list of talented returnees goes on and on for Clark: Onnika Lawrence had nine goals as a freshman and is part of an excellent class that includes Riley Byrd (O’Brien’s daughter), Tatiana Raymond and Alexa Friske.  

Friske, juniors Taylor Rodgers, Bella Mann and Mila Johns and senior Apana Awua all received all-conference or All-State honors for 2023. Clark also noted seniors Brenna Ruggiero and Taryn Borgen, senior keeper Erica Burguiere and junior keeper Elania Dorr – and still wasn’t done. 

Freshman Evie Dorr, he said, “is just an absolutely phenomenal midfield player,” and there’s another addition in junior Isla Alexander, who transferred over from Flathead High. 

”To add two starting-caliber players to a team that was close to a state championship is just a real great thing, for a coach and for our program,” Clark said. 

Whitefish, under new coach Kelly Ordway, has All-State picks Delaney Smith and Sadie Ollson, both seniors, back. Madison Gordon, Charlize Ullrich and Truth Baxter give the Bulldogs three more players that earned all-league honors in 2023. 

On the way to their last title, they lost their regular-season finale to Columbia Falls, then got the Kats back in the state final, 2-0.  

“Whitefish lost some big pieces,” said Clark, singling out Isabelle Cooke, Olvia Genovese and keeper Norah Schmidt, “but they always seem to reload.” 

Bigfork, which fell to the Wildkats in the State A semifinals last season, is potent again with all-conference picks Braeden Gunlock, Irelynd Vigil, Brynn Bagley, Gracie Johnson and Paeten Gunlock in the field. 

Other top conference players to watch are Polson’s London Davis and Kaydence Stanek of Libby.  

BOYS

O’Brien Byrd’s Wildcats have a goal, and it’s a couple matches beyond last year’s quarterfinals, where they fell to Dillon. 

“It’s a special year,” Byrd said. “Every coach in the state is excited for the first game of the season and we’re no exception.” 

Four Wildcats drew all-league or All-State honors last fall as juniors: Midfielder River Wolford, forward Max Everett, center-back Ethan Henjum and keeper Rafe Rusche. But Byrd feels everyone on the pitch can and will contribute greatly. 

Junior Jack Harris is moving from midfield to striker, where the Cats miss the scoring of the graduated Kai Golan. Byrd feels the quartet of Wolford, Arne Troy, Jackson Scholz and Bruno Vazquez, “have to be the most dynamic midfield in the state.” 

He loves his senior fullbacks, Otto Anderson and Isak Soyland. “They are some of the fastest players on the team and they’re going to flying up and down the flanks.” 

then he added that Henjum and fellow defender Connor Zumwalt are especially key. 

“Aside from Rafe, our goalkeeper, Connor and Ethan are the most important pieces to the puzzle of defensive shape,” Byrd said. “The style which we’re going to play, we’re taking some risk with the number of players we’re throwing into the attack. Without them, we wouldn’t be able to do that.” 

Whitefish, with Kyler Johnson, Elijah Adams-Griffin, Preston McPherson and Griffin Gunlikson back on the pitch, figure to keep the pressure on. New coach Eric Sawtelle, elevated after two seasons as former coach John Lacey’s assistant, has to replace four All-State players.  

Possibly making noise is Libby, with juniors Nolan Morris and Colby Iliff. Bigfork saw Quinn Kerr earn all-league honors as a freshman, and Corban Benson had a solid junior season for the Vikings. Polson has a returning All-State pick in junior Maddox Bird while junior Cruz Lies was all-conference.