Whitefish soccer continued its powerful season with the boys and girls teams each adding a shutout win and tie to their record. 

Whitefish played its homecoming game against Thompson Falls at home on Tuesday, The girls won 10-0 in regulation and the boys game was over at halftime, with a score of 10-0. 

In Columbia Falls on Saturday, the Bulldogs and Lady Bulldogs each came home with a tie, the girls, 1-1 and the boys, 2-2. 

The Lady Bulldogs and the Wildkats battled to a scoreless tie in the first half Saturday, and each team put one goal on the board in the second. 

Ella Robbins scored for Columbia Falls in the 53rd minute after a corner kick pinged around the goal mouth. 

“Whitefish responded in the 72nd minute with a beautiful combination of passes beginning with Jenna Kimble that ended with Atley Bingham slotting the ball back into junior captain Sage Ordway who put the ball in the net on a sliding finish,” Whitefish Head Coach Kelly Ordway said.  

The Lady Dawgs had eight shots on goal to the Wildkats’ four. The tie keeps Whitefish in the lead spot in the conference. 

“Senior captain Delila Vine had excellent distribution out of the back. Ayla Mosher and Barrett Clark’s defensive tenacity and intelligence made a huge impact,” Ordway added. 

The boys match was closely contested, as expected. The Bulldogs scored twice in the first half and the Wildcats answered in the second with a brace of their own off set pieces. 

“I am proud of the way our boys approached and started the match,” Whitefish Head Coach Eric Sawtelle said. “We came out firing and for the first 20 minutes we executed our game plan perfectly. We were up for the battle and we played composed and purposeful soccer.” 

Roen Chisholm brilliantly finished a assist by Luca Duffy in the third minute, and just four minutes later, Duffy put one in the net after an assist from Graysen Rembaugh.  

Columbia Falls’ Brady Bell scored both goals for his team, one in the 59th minute and one seven minutes later. The Wildcats outshot the Dawgs, 11-8 but only two were on frame, while Whitefish placed five on target. 

The Bulldogs dominated the first half of the game and generated several chances, but they were unable to get the third goal. The Whitefish defense, once again, was excellent. 

One of the Bulldogs’ goals is to win the conference, and the tie keeps them atop the standings in conference play. 

"Credit to Columbia Falls. They grew into the game in the second half, and they did a really good job disrupting our possession,” Sawtelle said. “We lost track of our intentions in the middle of the pitch and attacking in the final third.” 

Sawtelle said the game provided his tea with great lessons and knows the players will grow from it. 

“I am proud of the way our team has grown and supported each other all season,” he said. “This team has so much potential we just need to stay focused on our goals and keep moving forward.” 

WHITEFISH’S NEVA Sliman and Atley Bingham each had a goal around the 20-minute mark in the game against Thompson Falls, while the team saved the real scoring barrage for the second. 

“Whitefish created a lot of goal scoring opportunities in the first half, including a rocket from junior Grace Sliman,” Whitefish Head Coach Kelly Ordway said.  

Four players contributed goals while five had assists in the effort against the Blue Hawks. Bingham put the ball in the net five times, Sliman had a hat trick and Sage Ordway and Jenna Kimble got one goal each. 

“Whitefish dialed it in to start the second half with junior Jenna Kimble ripping in one from a tight angle on the wing,” Ordway said. “Sophomore Atley Bingham’s technical skills shined as she penetrated through the defense and connected passes until she found the net, coming away with five goals and three assists.” 

Whitefish had 40 shots on goal throughout the game, leaving little for the Lady Bulldogs keepers, Marlis Nargi and Giner Bergland to do. Ordway noted the Thompson Falls goalkeeper, Ava Lawyer, “did a tremendous job with 30 saves throughout the game.” 

The Whitefish defense was steady and helped earn the team another shut out.  

“The boys showed up and got after it this evening,” Whitefish Head Coach Eric Sawtelle said of the Thompson Falls game. “We are such a challenging opponent, we are playing together and working for each other.” 

In just 40 minutes, the Bulldogs scored 10 goals on 27 shots and put an end to the game with the goal differential rule. The Blue Hawks had three shots, requiring Whitefish keeper Ben Nelson to make one save. 

With five players scoring goals and five more contributing assists, the Bulldogs delivered a true team effort. 

“I thought we did a great job finding the space in our offensive third, possessed well in the middle third, and our defense once again was super solid,” Sawtelle said. “We are finding the right balance and I was very impressed with the performance.” 

Reporter Julie Engler can be reached at 406-862-3505 or [email protected]. If you value local journalism, pledge your support at whitefishpilot.com/support.

    Whitefish midfielder Tristan Irwin controls the backfield last week during the homecoming game at Smith Fields. (Julie Engler/Whitefish Pilot)
  

    Wildkat Onnika Lawrence and Whitefish's junior defender Grace Sliman go shoulder to shoulder on Saturday. (Seth Anderson photo)
  

    Junior midfielder Barrett Clark passes away from a Wildkat defender when the teams played to a 1-1 tie on Saturdaky. (Seth Anderson photo)
  

    The Whitefish girls soccer team gets together for a photo after the homecoming game win against Thompson Falls last week. (Julie Engler/Whitefish Pilot)
  

    Whitefish goal keeper Ben Nelson looks for an outlet at the Thompson Falls game. (Julie Engler/Whitefish PIlot)