Bigfork and Columbia Falls girls set for State Championship
Daily Inter Lake | Daily Inter-Lake | UPDATED 2 months AGO
It’s an all-Flathead Valley championship in girls Class A Soccer as Columbia Falls held serve at home and Bigfork pulled an upset on the road.
The Wildkats used three second half goals to take a 4-1 win over Lone Peak to earn hosting rights for next week’s title game.
Bigfork’s Paeten Gunlock slotted home the lone goal on a windy day as the Valkyries defeated Livingston.
Columbia Falls 4, Lone Peak 1
Bella Mann scored twice in the middle of the second half as the Wildkats broke a 1-1 tie in the 55th minute.
“We started out slow in the first half and Lone Peak came in with a lot of energy and battled hard,” Wildkats coach Thomas Clark said. “We settled things down in the second half and really showed the collective quality of the group.”
Her second goal in the 64th gave Columbia Falls some breathing space, and Taylor Rodgers sealed the win with five minutes left. Riley Byrd and Onnikka Lawrence added the assists.
Lone Peak 0 1 - 1
C-Falls 1 3 - 4
CF — Own goal, 38:00
LP — Harper Morris, 49:00
CF — Bella Mann (Riley Byrd), 55:00
CF — Mann (Byrd), 64:00
CF — Taylor Rodgers (Onnikka Lawrence), 75:00
Shots — Columbia Falls 9, Lone Peak 10. Saves — Columbia Falls 10 (Elaina Dorr), Lone Peak 6 (Piper Dodd). Fouls — Columbia Falls 3, Lone Peak 8. Corner kicks — Columbia Falls 5, Lone Peak 3.
Bigfork 1, Park 0
LIVINGSTON — Gunlock scored the deciding goal and Bigfork’s defense held firm to advance to the final round of the A State Playoffs and defeat Livingston 1-0 on Saturday.
Gunlock scored the lone goal of the match in the 34th minute, taking an assist from Taite Welch to break the scoreless match.
Goalkeeper Ireland Vigil anchored the shutout, stopping all seven shots she faced to clean the sheet.
The Valkyries defense shined with consistent steals and interceptions on the ball. Bigfork had 10 total shots on goal and four corner kicks.