Boys reloading for another run at a state title

Hungry Horse News

The Columbia Falls boys soccer program is at a point where it doesn’t really rebuild. It reloads.

This year is no exception.

The Wildcats lost just two seniors from last year’s squad and 10th year coach O’Brien Byrd said the culture at practice has been a “healthy competitiveness” with at least nine players competing for starting spots.

Last year the team leaned heavily on senior Kai Golan for scoring, but this season, Byrd says there’s four or five players who can put the ball in the back of the net, including Maxwell Everett, River Wolford and Jack Harris to name a few.

The Wildcats will also look for good things from Bruno Vazquez, a foreign exchange student from Spain. Defensively, look for Ethan Henjum to make his mark along with Connor Zumwalt on the pitch.

This year’s goalkeeper is Rafe Rusche, who returns from last season.  Last season the Wildcats lost in the semifinals to Corvallis.

Byrd said the team to beat this year looks to be Billings Central. Who won the state A title last year. The Cats open play on the road with an eastern swing, facing Lockwood and Laurel.

An addition to both the girls and boys schedules this season is Thompson Falls, which includes players from not just that town, but Plains and St. Regis. The Cats have played Plains on the junior varsity level for a few years now and they’ve proven to be a quality club, Byrd noted.

Byrd is assisted by Chris Nagel, Sage Wanner, Todd Threlvalll and Cory Pete.

Pete is the longtime junior varsity coach and Wanner is a Columbia Falls alumni. He now has a doctorate in physical therapy.