Soccer: 8-0 romp puts Dogs in title game
<p>Whitefish's boys soccer team celebrates after scoring a goal against Frenchtown on Saturday in a Class A semifinal playoff match.</p>
If a prep soccer match could hang in an art museum, Whitefish’s performance on Saturday would go in the Louvre — it was a masterpiece.
The Bulldogs boys soccer team clinched a trip to the Class A state championship game with a dominating 8-0 victory over Frenchtown in the semifinals. The Broncs proved to be a worthy opponent — easily the best team the Dogs have faced this season — but with the defending state champs firing on all cylinders Frenchtown never had a chance.
“It was our best game of the season,” Whitefish coach O’Brien Byrd said, again, having proclaimed the same after their quarterfinal win last week.
“Frenchtown has big, strong, fast and skilled players, but they couldn’t get the ball. It’s tough to score when you don’t have possession. It was our best game of the year offensively, defensively, all aspects.”
Neither team had much momentum in the first 20 minutes as play mostly stayed centered at mid field. Slowly the Bulldogs found their rhythm and in the 22nd minute they broke through.
A corner kick gave senior striker Iaian Cameron a chance at goal. Cameron buried his shot following a scrum in front of the net.
Eleven minutes later Nathan Boone scored his first of four consecutive goals in the match.
Boone’s second score was his most beautiful.
The junior took a pass from Sam Donaldson in the penalty box. With his back to the net, Boone made a touch, then in a single motion turned to his left and blasted a shot toward the goal.
Boone tallied two more scores in the second half to give Whitefish a demanding 5-0 lead.
Junior Tommy Murphy came into the match fired up and was able to unload a few earlier chances on goal that just missed. He finally tallied in the 61st minute.
Both Boone and Murphy attributed the team’s success Saturday to hours of practice and hard work.
“We all know where we are going to be on the field,” Boone said. “We’re a cohesive unit.”
“We’re on the same telepathy wave,” Murphy added. “All together, the team has a good winning chemistry.”
Sam Donaldson put away a goal in the 61st minute off an assist from Brandon Fuehrer to continue the rout. It was his 23rd of the season. Sean Janni capped Whitefish’s masterpiece with a rocket placed perfectly in the upper corner of the net.
Whitefish outshot Frenchtown 17-6. Goalkeeper Thomas Clark made six saves in the shutout.
Byrd commended the defense for staying focused.
“They didn’t let their guard down,” Byrd said. “Thomas had a great save at the end of the game.”
“We have really been able to come out and play with focus and concentration. These guys have the pressure of home field advantage and the undefeated record, and they’re just dealing with it.”
Frenchtown 0 0 — 0
Whitefish 3 5 — 8
WHITEFISH — Iaian Cameron (Curran Edland), 22:00; Nathan Boone (Tommy Murphy), 33:00; Boone (Sam Donaldson), 40:00; Boone, 46:00; Boone (Murphy), 51:00; Murphy, 61:00; Donaldson (Brandon Fuehrer), 74:00; Sean Janni (Taven Edland), 80:00
Shots on goal — Frenchtown 6, Whitefish 17. Corner kicks — Frenchtown 3, Whitefish 6. Goalie saves — Frenchtown 16 (M. Hayes), Whitefish 6 (Thomas Clark). Fouls — Frenchtown 7, Whitefish 7. Cards — Whitefish, 1 yellow.