As season winds down, Wildcats rack up big wins
The Columbia Falls girls soccer squad continues to hammer its opponents on the offensive end, scoring 23 goals in the past week as they racked up four wins.
The girls beat conference foe Whitefish last Tuesday 5-3, non-conference Stillwater Christian Thursday 2-1 and then hammered conference rival Polson 8-0 Saturday on the road.
Sophomore Josie Windauer had six goals on the week, including the go-ahead goal against Whitefish and a hat trick against Polson.
The Whitefish win was key — the Lady Wildcats needed to beat the Bulldogs by two to take the lead in the Northern conference because Whitefish had beaten the Cats earlier in this season by one — and the girls got it done.
Freshman Lakia Hill scored two goals in seven minutes — one a sweet header off the rebound of a shot by Windauer and another on a shot that bent back into the goal after it rolled over the Whitefish keeper’s hand.
Senior Hannah Gedlaman had three goals on the week and six assists. Hannah Callendar had two goals and an assist.
The girls have played a lot of soccer — seven games in 15 days.
Coach O’Brien Byrd was pleased with the girls’ effort.
“We’re putting it together,” he said. “We can find ways to score goals with four-five different people.”
He noted the defense has tightened down as well. Polson may have been their best effort to date.
“We put together a complete game against Polson,” he said.
The girls walloped Bigfork 8-1 Tuesday.
Hannah Gedlaman scored four goals in the win.
They’re on the road against Libby Friday to wrap up the regular season.
In the playoffs, they’ll likely host the third team from the South, which right now is Loyola. Win that and they’re on the road, likely against the No. 1 team in the East. Both Laurel and Billings Central have identical records at 9-0-1 heading into the last week of the regular season.
The Cats are 8-1-1.
Bigfork 0 1 — 1
Columbia Falls 4 4 — 8
C — Hannah Gedlaman (Hannah Callender), 22:00
C — Gedlaman (Lakia Hill), 36:00
C — Gedlaman (Callender), 38:00
C — Gedlaman (Josie Windauer), 39:00
C — Callender, 42:00
C — Gedlaman (Graceanne Sevesind), 47:00
C — Windauer (Gedlaman), 54:00
B — Jordan Nelson, 64:00
C — Macey Sandefer (Joyce Hatfield), 74:00
Shots on goal — Columbia Falls 42, Bigfork 5. Corner kicks — Columbia Falls 8, Bigfork 1. Goalie saves — Columbia Falls (Madeline Jarvis) 4, Bigfork (Ellie Berreth) 28. Fouls — Columbia Falls 5, Bigfork 2. Cards — None.