The Thompson Falls-Plains-St. Regis girls soccer team bounced back from a tough home loss to Columbia Falls with a 5-0 win over Browning in Browning Friday.

Now 3-5-0 overall, the Hawks will travel to Libby Tuesday for a match with the Lady Loggers before hosting the Loggers for homecoming Thursday with the Hawks girls playing at 3 p.m. and the boys at 5 at Amundsen Sports Field in Plains.

Coach Nick Lawyer said the Hawks were missing several key members of the team for the match in Browning, including starting goalkeeper Ava Lawyer, captain Solveig Nygaard, and midfield anchor Melodie Cook, but that the other Hawks stepped up to the opportunity to play in their stead.

“The Thompson Falls–Plains–St. Regis Hawks girls soccer team has built its reputation on grit, work ethic, and togetherness,” Lawyer said. “And all that came together in Browning, a performance that showed how far the program has come in just its second year.”

Freshman captain Katherine Wrobleski scored a hat trick against Browning with three goals, Elsie Myers added a goal and Thompson Falls senior Kate Bonnington registered the first goal of her career off a Wrobleski pass.

“We play gritty, hard-working, determined soccer,” Coach Nick Lawyer said. “We will outwork everyone, and we play Coca-Cola soccer — crisp, direct, refreshing. That’s exactly what we showed today.”

The Browning win came just days after a humbling 10–0 home defeat to Columbia Falls, one of Montana’s perennial powerhouses, Lawyer said. “The contrast was striking,” he added. “Where Columbia Falls’ physicality had overwhelmed them, the Hawks’ response in Browning showed resilience, adaptability, and belief.”

In goal, eighth grader Kinsley Josephson stepped up for her first-ever varsity start as goalkeeper and recorded a shutout. Another eighth grader, Nebel Hermsmeyer of Plains, a recent transfer and brand-new to soccer, delivered the defensive play of the match. She

threw her body in front of a Browning shot to deny a near-certain goal and preserve the shutout.

“She’s just learning the game, but she showed courage, toughness, and commitment,” Lawyer offered. “To step into a team, learn a sport she’s never played, and make that kind of play — it’s incredible.”

At the back, Lawyer said, eighth grade defender Ginger Nestor quietly reached a milestone. “By starting her sixth varsity match of the season, she officially earned her varsity letter — an impressive accomplishment for the eighth grader.”

Lawyer said that freshman Emmie Tucker of Plains, who lettered last year as an eighth grader, was assigned with the task of lining up midfielders and driving into the box to lead the attack. “She played a dynamic role in our attack,” he said.

Sophomores Elizabeth Weedeman and Leanna DeMars, both from Plains, also played key roles for the Hawks in Browning.

Lawyer said the Hawk soccer program is more than about just playing the game together. “Soccer is a game that builds bridges,” he said. “These players are building friendships across towns that we hope last a lifetime. They’re learning what it means to be a good teammate: effort, enthusiasm, and engagement.”

Lawyer made a further pitch for the program, promoting this week’s action. “We want everyone to come out for homecoming,” he said. “These kids are working hard, representing their schools and towns with pride, and they deserve to have their community behind them.”

Lawyer said that the homecoming contests Thursday will also feature another local treat for all attending as hamburgers made from Hafner Ranch beef and pulled pork sandwiches will be available through the concession stand.