Bigfork boys and girls earn hard-fought soccer wins over Whitefish

The Vikings and Valkyries both defended their home turf in thrilling fashion Thursday, earning a pair of victories over rival Whitefish in Northwest A soccer action.

In the boys match, Quinn Kerr opened the scoring for Bigfork with a 17th-minute penalty kick, calmly burying his shot to give the Vikings an early 1-0 lead. The Bulldogs responded late in the first half when Jack Oehlerich, assisted by Kyler Jonson, slotted home the equalizer in the 34th minute.

But Bigfork wasted little time reclaiming momentum. Just four minutes later, R. McAnally found the back of the net in the 38th minute, a strike that would stand as the game-winner as the Vikings held on for a 2-1 victory, delivering Whitefish its first loss of the season.

Goalkeeper Ethan Stutzman anchored the defense with four saves, helping Bigfork withstand a late Whitefish surge. The Bulldogs outshot the Vikings 8-3, but Bigfork made the most of its limited chances and maintained composure in a physical match that saw six yellow cards issued.

In the girls contest, Michaela Anderson provided the difference, scoring the match’s lone goal in the 64th minute to give the Valkyries a 1-0 win. Bigfork’s defense held firm throughout the second half, with goalkeeper Irelynd Vigil earning the shutout and recording seven saves.

Whitefish held a slight 7-5 edge in shots, but the Valkyries capitalized when it mattered most.