The Whitefish boys soccer team had a tremendous showing in front of a noisy home crowd as they moved on to the Class A state finals by blanking Stevensville, 4-0, on Saturday.

Seven different Bulldogs were closely linked to the four goals scored, while each member of the team played his part in the victory.  

Rowland Perkins scored in the 24th minute, unassisted. In the second half, Graysen Rembaugh, Henry Barbieri and Tyler Larkin scored with assists from Griffin Johnson, Judah Colt and Ben Dow. 

Bulldog goalkeepers Ben Nelson and Charlie Dow kept the clean sheet while Yellowjacket goalkeeper Braden Drye made seven saves on the day. 

“We knew Stevensville would come out with a lot of intensity and physicality,” Whitefish Head Coach Eric Sawtelle said. “Our defense did an excellent job staying composed and played with confidence throughout the match.” 

Once again, the Bulldogs took some time to find their rhythm. 

“It took a while for us to find the right groove in possession but eventually we did, and I especially liked the way we played the whole second half of the match,” Sawtelle said. “We switched the field of play to find space when needed and found a good balance between possession and more direct play.”   

The Bulldogs’ team chemistry seems to strengthen with each match. Sawtelle said he was proud of the way the Whitefish players supported one another, thereby earning another shot at the state title. 

“We have really good collective energy and talent in our squad and, once again, every boy on our roster made a positive contribution to the match,” Sawtelle said. “We are absolutely pumped to get to have one more week together and are so thankful to our community for coming out and supporting us.” 

The crowd Saturday was full of colorful Bulldog fans who made themselves heard. 

Whitefish will meet Polson in the championship game on Saturday, Nov. 1, at Polson High School at 4 p.m. Polson and Columbia Falls played to a 1-1 tie before Polson won in a shootout on Saturday evening. 

    Whitefish senior defender Gavin Sibson maneuvers through the midfield on Saturday. (Julie Engler/Whitefish Pilot)
  

    Whitefish sophomore Judah Colt goes shoulder to shoulder against a Stevensville Yellowjacket in Saturday's Bulldog win. (Julie Engler/Whitefish Pilot)
  

    Amid a crowd of players and a soaring Stevensville goalie, Bulldog defender Tyler Larkin strikes a header for a goal in the second half of the game on Saturday. (Julie Engler/Whitefish Pilot)
  

    The Whitefish boys soccer team earned their way into the Class A State final after a 4-0 win against Stevensville on Saturday. (Julie Engler/Whitefish Pilot)