Windauer sets single season, career goals record

It was one for the soccer record books.

Senior Josie Windauer scored her 31st goal of the season, breaking the previous record of 30 held by Danielle Delventhal set in 2011 as the Wildkats beat Libby 8-0 in girls soccer at Flip Darling Field Thursday.

Windauer also holds the school career record with 80 goals to date. Lisa Carter (2005) previously held that record with 67. Windauer’s career stats could go higher as the team enters the playoffs later this week.

Windauer scored five goals against Libby to break the record, fittingly on senior night.

In addition, teammate Madeline Robison tied the single-season record for assists with 14, which was previously set by McKenzie Kiser.

Coach Thomas Clark had nothing but praise for Windauer and this year’s squad.

“She is so selfless,” he said. “She embodies what it means to be a role model.”

The Kats are 11-1 heading into the postseason and it’s been a total team effort.

“It was a phenomenal year,” Clark said. “They’ll go down as one of the best senior classes in school history.”

Having said that, the team still has its sights set on success in the postseason.

“We still have a lot of work to do,” he said.

For Windauer, she said felt great to get the record, but she credited her teammates.

“I couldn’t have got the record without them,” she said.

Windauer will play for the University of Montana in the fall. She said she’ll likely be on the defense at the college level. She’s already been to camps and has done other things with the team and the coaches. She’s the first girls soccer player from Columbia Falls to play Division 1 ball.

She scored early and often against Libby. She had a goal at the four-minute mark and had four goals in the bank before the half ended. She could have had five, but Robison kicked in a goal that was a penalty kick after Windauer was fouled at the 15-minute mark.

The record-setting goal came at the 55 minute mark.

The girls now face Stevensville at home in the first round of the playoffs 1 p.m. Saturday at home.

“They (Stevi) are strong defensively,” Clark said.

On Tuesday, the Kats dropped Bigfork 7-0.

Columbia Falls 6 2 — 8

Libby 0 0 — 0

CF — Josie Windauer (Maddie Robison) 4:00

CF — Windauer (Robison) 6:00

CF — Robison 15:00

CF — Windauer (Robison) 23:00

CF — Lexi Purcell (Gwen Jarvis) 30:00

CF — Windauer 35:00

CF — Windauer (record breaker, single season goal scoring record, 31) (Robison) 55:00

CF — Cheyanne Johnston-Heinze (Morgan McAleavey) 65:00

Shots on goal — Libby 1, Columbia Falls 20; Goalie saves — Libby 10, Columbia Falls 3 (Ave McDonald, Zoey Byrd); Corner kicks — Libby 0, Columbia Falls 4; Fouls — Libby 3, Columbia Falls 5; Cards — None.

Editor’s note: This story was corrected from its original version, as Robison’s first name is Madeline, not Madison.