Boys soccer on top in Northwest A

Wildcat soccer stands alone at the top of the Northwest after a pair of impressive conference victories last week.

Columbia Falls (5-1-1) slipped by Polson 2-1 on Saturday at home in a showdown of the top teams in the league. Louis Merchand scored the deciding goal in the 75th minute off a corner kick. The assist went to Jon Sigurdsson.

Auguste Emond’s tallied just three minutes into play to give Columbia Falls the early advantage. Polson’s (4-2-0) lone score came in the 25th minute.

On Thursday, the boys blanked conference rival Whitefish, 3-0. The Wildcats had three in the scoring column. Logan Stephens opened the game up with a goal, then Icelandic exchange student Jon Sigurdsson added a score on a penalty kick and freshman Skylar Chute made a sweet header in the second half on a great cross from Jakob Grien to ice the game at the 50-minute mark.

The Cats out shot the Bulldogs 14-9, a stat that seems a bit generous on the Whitefish end. The Cats dominated the ball, keeping it in Whitefish’s (2-4-0) end most of the game.

“The key words all week were keep possession, play with confidence and find a way to win,” said coach O’Brien Byrd after the Whitefish game.

On Sept. 13, the boys came back to beat Stillwater Christian School 2-1 in a game that had 23 fouls between the two squads. Stillwater isn’t normally on the schedule, but Bigfork canceled its season this year for lack of a turnout, so the Stillwater games were added.

The Wildcats out shot Stillwater 18-6.

The boys will have their first game under the new lights at Flip Darling Field Thursday night against Stillwater. Game time is 6 p.m. They face Libby at home Saturday at 2 p.m.

Polson 1 0 — 1

Columbia Falls 1 1 — 2

CF — Auguste Emond, 3:00

P — Daniel DiGiallonardo, 25:00

CF — Louis Merchand (Jon Sigurdsson), 75:00

Shots on goal — Polson 9, Columbia Falls 11; Goalie saves — Polson (Russell Smith 7), Columbia Falls (Brandon Karberg 4); Corner kicks — Polson 1, Columbia Falls 8; Fouls — Polson 7, Columbia Falls 11; Cards — Polson, 1 red, Columbia Falls, 1 yellow.

Columbia Falls 2 1 — 3

Whitefish 0 0 — 0

CF—Logan Stephens (Hunter Peterson), 6:00

CF—Jon Sigurdsson, PK, 40:00

CF—Skylar Chute (Jakob Grein), 50:00

Shots on goal —Columbia Falls 14, Whitefish 9; Goalie saves—Columbia Falls 8 (Brandon Karberg), Whitefish 8 (Marty Anderson); Corner kicks—Columbia Falls 7, Whitefish 3; Fouls—Columbia Falls 5, Whitefish 10; Cards—Whitefish, 1 yellow.

C. Falls 0 2 — 2

Stillwater 0 1 — 1

SCS—Jonny Warricks (unassisted), 47’

CF—Logan Stephens (Jon Sigurdsson), 50’

CF—Sigurdsson (Auguste Emond), 65’

Saves—SCS 11 (Zack Basnett), CF 3 (Brandon Karberg). Shots—SCS 6, CF 18. Corner kicks—SCS 5, CF 2. Fouls—SCS 12, CF 11. Cards—none.