Bulldog boys sting Yellowjackets on the road

By DAVID ERICKSON / Whitefish Pilot

The Whitefish boys soccer team has about as high of expectations riding on them as any team in the state this year, regardless of what the players or coaches might say.

Let's face it — they haven't lost a game in two years. To be able to pull off that feat for a third consecutive year is highly unlikely, but nobody is counting that out.

They got their 2008 campaign on the right track by beating Stevensville 5-0 on Saturday, but it took a little while to get rolling.

The Bulldogs managed only one goal in the first half, when Felix Hermsdorf connected off an assist by Jack Steele in the 21st minute.

For the rest of the first half, it was a defensive struggle.

"Our offense was actually clicking in the first half, but we just had trouble finishing, I think," head coach O'Brien Byrd said. "Stevensville's goalie tabbed 11 saves in the first 20 minutes, and all our shots were on frame. We just needed to finish."

The Bulldogs made a few minor adjustments after halftime and came out with purpose.

Travis Adams scored two second-half goals, while Marc Hotzfield and Hermsdorf scored once each. Federico Sau, Patrick Jones and Nik Ortman each had an assist. The Bulldogs finished with 18 shots on goal.

Like the girls team, the Bulldogs allowed only one shot on goal by the Yellowjackets.

"I was extremely pleased with our defense," Byrd said. "We're adjusting to a new formation this year. We'll have four guys on the back line, where in previous years we've had three."

Byrd said he was impressed with the fitness of his team because they've only had 10 practices so far.

"Stevensville is a tough team," he said. "They're scrappers. They won their conference last year, and they have six guys over six feet tall, very fast guys. I was pleased with how we played them."

The Whitefish boys host Billings Central on Friday (tomorrow) at 4 p.m. at Smith Fields.