Viking kickers headed to state
<p>Kyle Thomson drives to the goal during soccer action last week against Loyola/Valley Christian.</p>
The Bigfork Vikings are headed to the state playoffs.
The Vikes finished third in the Northwest Conference with a record of 3-4-1, 3-7-2 overall.
Bigfork will play at Billings West Saturday at 9:30 a.m.
Whitefish finished as conference champions, while Libby was second. Columbia Falls was fourth and Polson fifth. Bigfork's spot in the playoffs was assured when Libby beat Columbia Falls 2-0 Tuesday.
Other teams headed to state include Stevensville and either Hamilton or Corvallis from the South, and Belgrade and Livingston from the East.
Last week, Bigfork lost a non-conference match to Loyola/Valley Christian 5-0 and then lost to Whitefish 3-1.
Against a combined Loyola/Valley Christian team on Oct. 8, the Rams’ forwards and fullbacks were too big and fast, BHS coach Bill Buxton said.
The Rams scored four goals in the first half. Bigfork made an adjustment in the second half and Loyola scored only once more.
At Whitefish, Bigfork played well and was tied 1-1 at halftime. Their first-half goal came on a penalty kick by Kyle Thomson.
Whitefish scored goal a goal at the 43-minute mark and again at 74 minutes to win.
Buxton said the game was tight and Bigfork improved upon their earlier game with the conference champs, which BHS lost 5-1.
Buxton said Wyatt Fisher is questionable for the playoffs due to a knee injury.