Valkyries battle hard, but fall to Columbia Falls

Bigfork girls soccer put together a determined performance Thursday night, but an early goal by Columbia Falls proved to be the difference in a 1-0 Northwest A setback.

The lone score came in the 14th minute when the Wildkats’ Riley Byrd slipped a shot past the Valkyrie defense off a setup from teammate Onnikka Lawrence. Despite the early strike, Bigfork’s back line and keeper Irelynd Vigil kept the match within reach the rest of the way. Vigil was outstanding in goal, piling up 24 saves against a relentless Columbia Falls attack that outshot the Valkyries 26-9.

Bigfork created chances of its own, but Columbia Falls held firm in the defensive third, limiting the Valkyries to nine shots and clearing every corner-kick opportunity.

The loss drops Bigfork to 0-2 in conference play, but the match showcased the team’s resilience against one of the Northwest A’s most experienced rosters.

In the boys contest, Columbia Falls pulled away in the second half for a 2-0 victory over the Vikings. Brady Bell scored three minutes after halftime off an assist from Jackson Scholz, and Scholz later added an insurance goal in the 76th minute.

Bigfork goalkeeper Donovan Stutzman finished with 18 saves, keeping the Vikings within striking distance despite Columbia Falls’ 22-10 advantage in shots.