By BRANDON HANSEN

Hungry Horse News

Columbia Falls controlled significant portions of the match, but Billings Central scored two second-half goals to win 3-2 in the State A Semifinals on Saturday, Oct. 26 in Billings.

“We came into the season with high expectations and big goals,” Columbia Falls girls soccer coach Thomas Clark said. “One of them was to win the conference, and one was to have a deep playoff run. We put ourselves in the same position as last year with a realistic shot to compete for state championship late in October.”

Clark added that once a team gets to the semifinals, every game will be a battle. This game was a battle as the Wildcats scored a goal late and continued to apply pressure but couldn’t quite get the equalizer.

Columbia Falls scored first in the matchup as Onnika Lawrence scored on a Taylor Rodgers assist in the 11th minute.

Just before halftime, however, Billings Central tied things up in the 33rd minute and scored again just after the break. Another Lady Rams goal in the 55th minute put them up 3-1.

However, Columbia Falls didn’t quit as Tatiana Raymond found the goal on a Riley Byrd assist in the 61st minute.

“It was a highly contested game,” Clark said. “You’re playing a really strong opponent as a strong team in your own right, and with that, momentum is swinging one way or the other one. As a team, when you’re dictating play, you have to take advantage.” 

Clark added the Wildcats did that with their first goal, and then Billings Central had some moment late in the first half to begin the second half.

“Then the girls reclaimed that momentum for the last 20 minutes of games,” Clark said. “We committed numbers forwards and dictated. We just came up short when it came to getting one in the back of the net, but overall, it was a super fun game.”

The Columbia Falls coach also wanted to praise his seniors, goalkeeper Erica Burguiere, defender Brenna Ruggiero, fellow defender Apani Awaua and forward Taryn Borgen.

“It was their last game, and they’ve made a big impact,” Clark said. “Taryn is dangerous playing up front. Brenna and Apani were part of the best back line in the state, and Erica was important as our goalkeeper. We have some big shoes to fill with talent and leadership from them.”

Columbia Falls finishes the season 10-3-1, which saw a conference championship and eye-popping scoring numbers. Billings Central had 13 shots on goal, Erica Burguiere notching 11 saves for the Wildkats. Each team had one corner kick in the contest.

Billings Central advances to play Laurel in the state championship game.

“When the girls came into this season, we had lost a lot of firepower from the previous year, but then this year we finish with a conference championship, the best goal differential in the state, and the highest scoring offense in Montana,” Clark said. “I think in a lot of ways we accomplished what we set out to accomplish and just fell short in one day in October. That’s a life lesson sometimes when you put in all that work, and sometimes you’re going to come up short, but along the way, we had one heck of a story.”