Playoff picture emerges
After a week off, Bigfork High School soccer is strategically preparing to play five games in nine days.
The boys and the girls teams lost to Whitefish last Tuesday. Though they’ve had a week of rest before facing Libby at home Tuesday, both coaches are concerned about keeping up stamina and focus with the second half of the season tightly packed.
After facing Libby Tuesday, soccer will travel to Columbia Falls on Thursday, host Polson on Saturday, followed by Whitefish next Tuesday and a trip to Libby on Thursday.
“Our focus is going to change more on keeping our kids rested and keeping their minds in the program as well,” boys’ head coach Bill Buxton said.
The upcoming matches will be the second meetings between teams, giving coaches an idea of what they’re up against, and what the teams need to do to get to playoffs.
The boys shut out Polson and Columbia Falls in their first meetings, but fell to Whitefish 3-0.
“I think when we played Whitefish, in the second half we really ran out of gas,” Buxton said. “We really felt the effects of having so many games in a row.”
The Vikings need to win at least two of the upcoming games to be in contention for the state playoffs. Buxton said three wins would pretty much guarantee qualification. The Valkyries have a harder course ahead of them.
Though they started their season strong, with two huge non-conference wins, they have lost two of the three conference games, falling 4-0 to Columbia Falls and 5-2 to Whitefish.
Though they need to win four of their upcoming games to make it into the playoffs, girls head coach Mike Marchetti thinks it’s possible.
“We believe we should be able to beat Libby,” he said. “We believe that we could have beat Columbia Falls. Our first half was just excellent against Whitefish. I absolutely do believe they can do it.”
Boys
Bigfork 0 0 — 0
Whitefish 1 2 — 3
W — Brady Bergeson (Sam Heutmaker), 36:00
W — Walter Sobba (free kick), 71:00
W — Quinten Joos (Jared Johnson), 80:00
Shots on goal — BF 7, WF 6. Saves — BF 6 (Ben Russell), WF 7 (Sam Benkelman). Corner kicks — BF 5, WF 3. Fouls — BF 8, WF 9. Yellow Cards— WF 1.
Girls
Bigfork 2 0 — 2
Whitefish 2 3 — 5
B — Katie Thomas 8:00
W — Haley Nicholson 9:00
B — Katie Thomas pk 14:00
W — Katie Blankeship (Grace Kurtz) 26:00
W — Haley Nicholson (Julia Houtson) 42:00
W — Haley Nicholson (Katie Blankenship) 53:00
W — Grace Kurtz (Audre Hyatt) 74:00
Shots — WHitefish 21, Bigfork 11. Saves Bigfork 8 (Ally Pancost, Celest Rehbein) Whitefish 5 (Kess Nelson). Corner Kicks —‚ Wghoitdfe 6, Bigfork 3. Fouls — 10, 10. Cards — none.