Columbia Falls girls soccer coach Thomas Clark was recently named the Fall Small Schools Northwest Region Coach of the year by the United Soccer Coaches Association.

Clark won the state award last fall as he guided the Wildcats to a state championship, which put him in the running for the regional award, which includes states across the Pacific Northwest.

Clark said he isn’t exactly sure when he won the award. He checked his mailbox at the high school recently and the plaque was inside. It likely sat there awhile without him knowing about it as the school transitioned from one activities director to another, as Troy Bowman retired and Madi Barth took over.

Delay aside, the modest Clark, in his eighth year of coaching, said it was nice to have the recognition, but it was truly a team award, not just him.

“Super excited,” he said. “It’s a team award. We had a record-breaking offense.”

The Wildcats under Clark’s tutelage blanked Bigfork 4-0 to win its first state A championship in 21 years.

The Cats finished the year undefeated, 13-0-2. They tied Bigfork and Whitefish in the regular season.

According to the Montana High School Association, the Cats’ 84 goals last year were the most scored in a single season since 1997.