Flying into the finals

Bulldog captain Matt Danczyk has something rarely seen in high school sports — the "it" factor.

Down 1-0 in a semi-final Class A soccer playoff game against the Corvallis Blue Devils on Oct. 24, the Bulldog soccer team needed every ounce of "it" Danczyk had.

With 11 minutes on the clock, Whitefish coach O'Brien Byrd pulled his senior sweeper from the defensive line and put Danczyk at his natural mid-field position to boost the offensive pressure on the Blue Devils.

Sixty seconds later, Danczky found the net off a one-touch blast from 30 yards out, and the Bulldogs were back in the match.

Anto Daoud tacked on another goal four minutes later to propel Whitefish past Corvallis 2-1 and into their fourth Class A state championship game in the last seven years.

The 'Dogs face Billings Central for the title at 1 p.m. on Saturday, Oct. 31, at Smith Fields.

"There is no one else on the team that has that ability in those situations," Byrd said of Danczyk's game-tying heroics. "It wasn't going to be anyone else. Matt has the character, discipline and a real ability to shine in the moment."

After a scoreless first half in which Whitefish held Corvallis to one shot on goal, the Blue Devils jumped on top moments into the second half when Seth Pelkey hit a low shot to the right corner of Whitefish's net.

The Bulldogs responded by upping their offensive intensity, while the Blue Devils packed it in on defense — playing with five or six defenders — clinging to the one-goal lead.

"We didn't take our foot off the gas pedal," Byrd said. "We pushed our numbers forward."

Whitefish controlled possession for the next 30 minutes, hitting Corvallis' keeper with an onslaught of shots, but none found the net.

As the clock pushed past the 65-minute mark, coach Byrd looked toward Danczyk on the back line.

"We've had conversations a couple of times this season about scenarios involving if we're behind with 10 minutes left in a big game," Byrd said. "I told him, 'I'm going to push you forward.' I kept looking at Matt and he kept looking at me. It's a huge risk, taking your leader out of the back."

In the 71st minute, Byrd took the risk and pushed Danczyk from sweeper to center-mid.

A minute later, Corvallis botched a goal kick that landed 30 yards from their goal in front of a wide-open Danczyk.

"Matt got a great first touch, then he just laced it," Byrd said.

The ball rocketed past a stunned Corvallis defense and into the left side of the net.

With the goal, the Whitefish sideline erupted as Danczyk circled the field in celebration — arms spread as if he was flying.

"I don't know what was going through my head (after the goal). It's too hard to explain," Danczyk said. "The adrenaline was definitely running."

"We got that goal and the momentum changed," Byrd said. "Corvallis cracked."

Daoud netted the game-winner minutes later when a shot from Jack Steele bounced off a Corvallis defender and landed at the feet of Daoud, who easily booted the ball into an empty net.

It was Daoud's fifth consecutive game with a goal.

The Bulldogs fended off a few last-second gasps by Corvallis, including a run in front of an open net that John Joern managed to boot away.

The Whitefish bench cleared in celebration with the final whistle as the Bulldogs pulled off their second come-from-behind win in the playoffs. They topped Livingston 2-1 in the first round after falling behind early.

"I never doubted you for one second," Byrd told the team after the game. "You guys are going to the state championship. We've got one more week."

Danczyk said the state title has been the goal all season.

"We worked hard to get here," Danczyk said. "Now, we have to focus and keep our eye on the prize."