Boys soccer has plenty of young talent
Brandon Hansen | Hungry Horse News | UPDATED 11 months, 3 weeks AGO
The Columbia Falls boys soccer team during practice last week. Seth Anderson Photo.
Columbia Falls boys soccer is heading into the 2025 season with a mix of experience and youth, and head coach O’Brien Byrd says the program’s culture of competition remains the key to success.
“We make sure that the environment around training sessions remains competitive,” Byrd said. “Players have to constantly try and earn their varsity starting spot every week and even have to earn their place on the varsity roster, week to week.”
That level of accountability will be important as the Wildcats reshape their lineup. This fall, Columbia Falls returns only two regular varsity starters from last season. The team will feature eight seniors along with an influx of eight incoming freshmen, giving the roster both leadership and plenty of new energy.
Among the returners are two players who earned postseason honors in 2024.
“Jack Harris returning All State. Jackson Scholz returning 2nd team All Conference,” Byrd noted.
Both are expected to anchor the squad as the Wildcats reload.
Despite the turnover, Byrd believes his team will once again be in the hunt for a conference title.
“As far as our ‘Northern conference’ goes, I think we are going to be a top contender again,” he said. “Whitefish is always going to be a spectacle, that’s a certainty.”
While experience is limited, the coach said Columbia Falls has the kind of talent and scoring punch that could surprise opponents.
“Our strengths this year will definitely be our youthful talent and our ability to score goals,” Byrd said. “You may have a young buck team this year, but we are brimming with talent and we have multiple players who’ll be able to score for us.”
That scoring depth and competitive training environment will be crucial as the Wildcats look to develop quickly and keep pace in a tough league. With leadership from Harris, Scholz and the seniors, combined with a wave of new contributors, Columbia Falls hopes to stay near the top of the Northern Conference race.
They open the season this Friday against Laurel. Game time is 4 p.m.