Kats, shining bright

JON ALLEN | Hagadone News Network | UPDATED 1 month, 1 week AGO

Columbia Falls poses with the state championship trophy after a 4-0 victory over Bigfork at Flip Darling Memorial Field on Saturday, Nov. 1. (Casey Kreider/Daily Inter Lake)
Casey Kreider

Columbia Falls' Onnikka Lawrence (10) celebrates with Tatiana Raymond (2) after a goal by Lawrence in the second half of the Class A state championship at Flip Darling Memorial Field on Saturday, Nov. 1. (Casey Kreider/Daily Inter Lake)
Casey Kreider

Columbia Falls' Onnikka Lawrence (10) has a shot stopped by Bigfork keeper Irelynd Vigil (0) in the first half of the Class A state championship at Flip Darling Memorial Field on Saturday, Nov. 1. (Casey Kreider/Daily Inter Lake)
Casey Kreider

Columbia Falls' Bella Mann (3), right, hugs teammate Evie Dorr (14) as the Wildkats celebrate after a 4-0 victory over Bigfork at Flip Darling Memorial Field on Saturday, Nov. 1. (Casey Kreider/Daily Inter Lake)
Casey Kreider

The Wildkats celebrate with the state championship trophy after a 4-0 win over Bigfork at Flip Darling Memorial Field on Saturday, Nov. 1. (Casey Kreider/Daily Inter Lake)
Casey Kreider

Columbia Falls' Bella Mann (3) and Bigfork's Taite Welch (22) battle for possession in the second half of the Class A state championship at Flip Darling Memorial Field on Saturday, Nov. 1. (Casey Kreider/Daily Inter Lake)
Casey Kreider

Columbia Falls' Isla Alexander (8) leaps for a header off a corner kick in the first half against Bigfork in the Class A state championship at Flip Darling Memorial Field on Saturday, Nov. 1. (Casey Kreider/Daily Inter Lake)
Casey Kreider

Bigfork's Ione Plummer (17) chases down a ball in the Columbia Falls zone in the second half of the Class A state championship at Flip Darling Memorial Field on Saturday, Nov. 1. (Casey Kreider/Daily Inter Lake)
Casey Kreider

Bigfork's Delaney Kirby (11) and Columbia Falls' Onnikka Lawrence (10) battle for possession in the first half of the Class A state championship at Flip Darling Memorial Field on Saturday, Nov. 1. (Casey Kreider/Daily Inter Lake)
Casey Kreider

Columbia Falls' Mila Johns (6) takes a shot in the first half against Bigfork in the Class A state championship at Flip Darling Memorial Field on Saturday, Nov. 1. (Casey Kreider/Daily Inter Lake)
Casey Kreider

Columbia Falls' Onnikka Lawrence (10) and Harper Holloway (9) hug as the Wildkats celebrate their 4-0 win over Bigfork at Flip Darling Memorial Field on Saturday, Nov. 1. (Casey Kreider/Daily Inter Lake)
Casey Kreider

COLUMBIA FALLS — When the lights at Flip Darling Memorial Field shined the brightest, the Columbia Falls Wildkats were even brighter.

Onnikka Lawrence scored two goals and the Wildkats used a four-goal second half to win the Class A girls soccer state title 4-0 over Bigfork on a rainy Saturday evening.

“We knew it was going to be a battle,” Columbia Falls coach Thomas Clark said. “We made some great saves, Elaina Dorr made some great saves in the first half to keep us in it and our back line well and then in the second half it was up to our offensive players to finish their chances and that’s exactly what they did.”

“Girls soccer is a funny thing, once one goes in, they all go in,” Bigfork coach Park Schara said. “We wanted to play that team, we knew we weren’t state champions without beating Columbia Falls and so we were honored to have an opportunity to come onto this field and try and beat that team.

“They truly deserved it this year, they’re coached well, they have a great culture and a great hometown crowd.”

Lawrence’s tallies came a minute apart and secured Columbia Falls’ second girls soccer title. The Wildkats also won in 2004 with a 6-1 final over Laurel.

Her first goal was put home after a beautiful pass from Taylor Rodgers found her alone in the box. Her second was an unassisted strike after she forced a turnover in the attacking half.

“There was a shift of energy after my first goal, with a great ball from Tatiana Raymond, it was just picture perfect,” Lawrence said. “That second one, I saw the first touch go off and I just went for it.”

It took a while for the Wildkats to settle in as Bigfork used the offsides trap effectively early, forcing seven offsides calls in the opening 12 minutes.

“We talked about the offsides trap going into the game and they really executed it well in the first half,” Clark said. “We talked about timing your runs and being patient and in the second half we were able to deal with it.”

“We talked about it before the game and thought it might work and we will see if it happens and if it happens then we will keep doing it,” Schara said.

Despite the scoreline Bigfork goalkeeper Irelynd Vigil put on a solid performance in goal, stopping multiple one-on-one chances from the Columbia Falls forwards.

Her best save came in the 28th minute as Taylor Rodgers was in on goal alone and looked to place one in the left corner. Vigil saved the shot and didn’t allow a rebound to end the threat.

“Irelynd is the best soccer player in the state,” Schara said. “I don’t care what position. I don’t care who you are talking about, what team, she has been a different breed of kid and a different kind of competitor since she was a little kid until now.

“She is truly made for this and built for that position. I always joke you have to be a little crazy to be a keeper and she is elite.”

Vigil’s performance was matched at the other end with a clean sheet from Elaina Dorr.

“We have stuck to what we have done,” Dorr said. “It was just another game in my head, it’s got a bigger title, but it’s still the same group of girls, we are all playing the same game and are confident in their abilities and my ability to do my job on the field.”

Midway through the first half, Dorr made a dazzling save on Bigfork’s Brynn Bagley, pushing the shot off the post and keeping the game level.

Tatiana Raymond opened the scoring for the Wildkats, nodding home a corner sent in by Riley Byrd just a minute after halftime.

Five minutes later Mila Johns doubled the advantage with a shot from eight yards out off an assist from Raymond.

Bigfork 0 0 - 0

C-Falls 0 4 - 4

CF — Tatiana Raymond (Riley Byrd), 42:00

CF — Mila Johns (Raymond), 47:00

CF — Onnikka Lawrence (Taylor Rodgers), 71:00

CF — Lawrence, 72:00

Full Count: Vals are no less amazing this season

The Wildkats celebrate with the state championship trophy after a 4-0 win over Bigfork at Flip Darling Memorial Field on Saturday, Nov. 1. (Casey Kreider/Daily Inter Lake)
Casey Kreider