Bulldogs overpower feisty Wildcats

By DAVID ERICKSON / Whitefish Pilot

As usual, the first meeting of the year between cross-valley rivals Columbia Falls and Whitefish was a physical, emotional thriller of a soccer game.

The Bulldogs were only able to break the Wildcat defense for one goal in the first half, but they came out firing in the second half and took the game 5-1. The win moves Whitefish to 5-0-1 overall and 3-0 in Northwestern A action.

The scrappy Wildcats pressured the Bulldogs all over the field in the first half and were able to frustrate the formidable Whitefish attack.

Whitefish junior forward Travis Adams took a beautiful cross from senior forward Felix Hermsdorf in the 17th minute to break the deadlock. The Columbia Falls attackers had to have been smelling blood in the water from the heavily favored Bulldogs, who have swept the series for the last two years.

Going into half-time with a tenuous 1-0 lead, Whitefish head coach O'Brien Byrd had to calm some nerves. His team narrowly avoided an upset of epic proportions to Columbia Falls last year, and he wasn't eager to repeat that heart-attack of a game.

"We were a little worried," he admitted after the game. "We weren't finishing our chances. I love these games because they are pressure-packed, like state championship games. We need games like this to get us ready."

Byrd told his players to stick to the game plan instead of letting emotion get the best of them, and it worked.

In the second half, a different Bulldog squad took the field. The jitters of playing their rivals wore off, and they focused on what they do best — scoring goals and playing solid defense.

Whitefish sophomore Mac Adams got things going six minutes into the half by taking a beautiful assist from senior forward Patrick Jones and putting a move on Wildcat goalkeeper George Kimerly to give Whitefish a 2-0 lead.

It was a back-and-forth struggle for the next 15 minutes, as the Bulldogs kept Columbia Falls backed into their half of the field.

Sophomore Jack Steele struck in the 60th minute off an assist from Hermsdorf, and the rout was on. Hermsdorf beat a pair of Wildcat defenders in the 72nd minute and fed a gift to a streaking Jones, who one-touched the ball to the top left corner of the net.

The Wildcats never gave up, however, and senior midfielder Travis Pete scored a solo goal in the 75th minute to avoid a shutout.

Travis Adams responded by taking a long through-ball from Jones and putting a move on Kimerly to ice the game at 5-1.

"We made some adjustments at halftime," Byrd said. "I told our wing forwards to crash the net and start taking more shots."

The move paid off for the Bulldogs, who kept their undefeated streak alive (although they tied Billings Central earlier this year).

Columbia Falls head coach Peter Browne said he was glad to see his team keep fighting the whole game.

"We have a young team," he said. "We hung in there for a while, but our experience caught up to us. We didn't test their goalie, and obviously by our one goal there, he is vulnerable. We have some things to work on."

Browne wasn't kidding — Whitefish outshot Columbia Falls 16-3 and dominated the time of possession.

As for Byrd, he knows that any time he plays Columbia Falls, they're going to bring their best effort.

"They are scrappy. I can't wait to play them again," he said.

The Bulldogs host Bigfork for homecoming on Sept. 23 at the football stadium next to Whitefish High School. Kickoff is set for 5 p.m.

Whitefish 1 4 - 5

C-Falls 0 1 - 1

Whitefish - 17:00 Travis Adams (Felix Hermsdorf); 46:00 Mac Adams (Patrick Jones); 60:00 Jack Steele (Hermsdorf); 72:00 Jones (Hermsdorf); 78:00 T. Adams.

WF C-Falls

Shots on goal 16 3

Goalie saves 3 (Joe Galbraith)

Corner kicks 7 3

Fouls 3 (2 yellow cards) 5