Bulldogs mark shutout over Stevi
A solid all-around effort led the Bulldogs to a 4-0 shutout win at Stevensville on Saturday in the team’s first game of the 2012 season.
“We’re happy to get the shutout and the win,” Whitefish boys soccer coach O’Brien Byrd said.
The Dogs’ goals came from four different players. Jared Johnson and Jon Pittman each scored in the first half, while Sam Donaldson and Curran Edland tallied in the second half.
Byrd praised the defensive unit for the shutout, namely keeper Thomas Clark, who he said managed the game impressively.
Byrd also commended a few underclassmen who stepped up, including sophomores Johnson and Taven Edland, and freshman Walter Sobba.
“They came right in and were an impact,” Byrd said.
Despite the seemingly easy win, Saturday’s final tally doesn’t compare to the lopsided crushings the Dogs have handed Stevensville in the past. The margin of victory the past several years has been by at least seven goals.
While the Yellowjackets have improved, Byrd said, there were likely some early-season jitters on Whitefish’s part.
“After two weeks of practicing against each other, we forgot what it was like to play a real game,” Byrd said. “We just got off to a slow start. We were a little bit rusty.”
He hopes the team worked out those nerves as the schedule jumps right into conference play this week. Whitefish travels to Libby Aug. 31 for a showdown of two of the top teams in the league.
“Libby is returning the most players of any roster in the conference,” Byrd said. “The are always a strong and athletic team. It will be a good test right away for us.”
“At Stevensville, we were just so excited to get the season kicked off. Now we need to settle our nerves and focus on the task at hand.”
The Dogs follow Libby by hosting Southwestern A power Hamilton on Sept. 1 at 2 p.m.
Whitefish 2 2 — 4
Stevensville 0 0 — 0
WHITEFISH — Jared Johnson (Nathan Boone), 7:00; Jon Pittman (Boone), 18:00; Sam Donaldson (Tommy Murphy), 55:00; Curran Edland, pk, 66:00.
Shots on goal — Whitefish 11, Stevensville 6
Corner kicks — Whitefish 8, Stevensville 3
Goalie saves — Whitefish 6 (Thomas Clark), Stevensville 0 (Mathew Goffe)
Fouls — Whitefish 10, Stevensville 5
Cards — Stevensville, one yellow