Cats drop Libby; host Laurel in the playoffs

by CHRIS PETERSON
Editor | October 12, 2016 8:09 AM

Jon Sigurdsson had a hat trick plus one and the boys held on to close their regular season with a 5-3 win over Libby away last week.

Sigurdsson had a hat trick by the 22 minute mark, but then Libby’s Cody Wood had a hat trick of his own to knot the score at three apiece.

But Sigurdsson wasn’t done, capping off the game with a goal at the 78-minute mark and then Jakob Grien scored at the very end of the match for the conference win.

The Wildcats (10-1-1) host a playoff game against Laurel (4-7-1) Saturday at 2 p.m. If the Cats get by the Locomotives, they’d host the winner of the Polson-Belgrade match.

This is the first time in 11 years the Wildcats have made it to the playoffs. Coach O’Brien Byrd said the goal is pretty simple: Win a state championship.

But if they make it to the final round, it will be a game on the road — the Northern Conference travels this year, the determination of which is on an annual rotation.

C. Falls 3 2 — 5

Libby 2 1 — 3

CF — Jon Sigurdsson (unassisted), 10:00

CF — Sigurdsson (unassisted), 16:00

CF — Sigurdsson (unassisted), 22:00

LIB — Cody Wood (Colin Maloney), 27:00

LIB — Wood (unassisted), 35:00

LIB — Wood (unassisted), 45:00

CF — Sigurdsson (unassisted), 74:00

CF — Jakob Grein (Skylar Chute), 80:00

Shots on goal — Columbia Falls 18, Libby 14. Saves — Columbia Falls 8 (Brandon Karberg), Libby 10 (Ryan Nagle). Corner kicks — Columbia Falls 5, Libby 2. Fouls — Columbia Falls 17, Libby 8. Cards — None.