Bulldogs drill Broncs in playoffs

By DAVID ERICKSON - Whitefish Pilot

The Whitefish boys soccer team exploded out of the gates on Saturday, capturing a 6-2 first-round playoff victory over Hamilton in a Class A state title rematch from a year ago.

Jonas Magstadt and Preston Taylor were basically unstoppable when they reached the goalie box, and both forwards finished with hat tricks.

Their performance was and has been at a very high level for high school soccer, and if you haven't seen them in action, you are missing quite a show.

"It was just an exciting game to watch," head coach O'Brien Byrd said of his team's 13th straight victory this year. "There was a lot of passion, a lot of tackles, and it was super aggressive. It didn't feel like a blowout."

Magstadt had the goal of the year in the first half, single-handedly taking on at least five Bronc defenders, weaving and fighting his way to the net. Seeming to fall and getting back up several times, Magstadt somehow battled to get the ball past a diving Hamilton goalkeeper, Brian Sheahan, and as the entire Bronc defense looked on in disbelief, the ball finally went in the net.

As his teammates congratulated Magstadt, Bulldog midfielder Shane Widdifield shouted victoriously, "You just took on their whole team!"

"Physical strength is a factor, but he got that goal because of sheer willpower," Byrd said. "He could have gone down three times on that play. He just enjoys the game so much."

It was two beautiful and well-timed crosses from Widdifield that gave the Bulldogs an early 2-0 lead. Both of the through-balls went to Taylor, taking advantage of an offside trap scheme employed by the Broncs that didn't account for Taylor's speed.

On both goals, Taylor was by the defense before they had time to react, and the goalkeeper never had a chance.

Hamilton played the game with a lot of emotion and created several scoring opportunities themselves. The game was a rematch of the state championship last year, and the boys played like it. The teams combined for 28 penalties and seven yellow cards, five of which went to the Bulldogs.

"The five yellow cards definitely affected our fast, aggressive style, so we had to let our foot off the gas a little bit," Byrd said.

Byrd said his team hasn't succumbed to the pressure of repeating their state title run from last year.

"They are extremely focused and super intense," he said. "They have the dream of making it two in a row, which is the ultimate high school career."

Byrd and his squad travel to Livingston on Saturday. For the third time this year, they will play on a converted football field.

"We'll have to use short combination passes forward, which is a change," Byrd said. "We can adjust, and some teams aren't able to do that."

Hamilton 1 1 — 2

Whitefish 5 1 — 6

Hamilton — Scott Sheahan (Noah Engbrecht), 36:00; Sheahan (penalty kick), 46:00

Whitefish — Preston Taylor (Shane Widdifield), 10:00; Taylor (Widdifield), 22:00; Jonas Magstadt (penalty kick), 23:00; Magstadt (penalty kick), 32:00; Magstadt, 38:00; Taylor (Marc Hotzfield), 76:00

Shots on goal — Ham. 6, WF 11

Corner kicks — Ham. 0, WF 3

Goalie saves — Ham. 5 (Brian Sheahan and Adam Willmarth), WF 8 (Joe Galbraith 6, Antranik Daoud 2)

Fouls — Ham. 9, WF 19

Cards — Ham. 2 (yellow), WF 5 (yellow).