Strouse leads Kats to 5-0 playoff win

Lindsay Strouse had a hat trick in the Columbia Falls girls soccer team’s first-round 5-0 victory in the Class A state playoffs over Stevensville Oct. 18 at home.

Coach Greg Trenerry lined up the senior forward on the left side of the field for the first time this year, and Strouse had no trouble finding the back of the net in her best game of the season.

“We played her on the left,” Trenerry said. “Who knew?”

Hannah Gedlaman and Lottie Ellis also scored for the Wildkats, who out shot the Lady Yellowjackets 20-3 in a dominant effort.

Strouse scored her first goal nine minutes in, but it was a slow first half after that.

“We let up a little bit,” Trenerry said. “It took us a while to get going again.”

Trenerry said he told the girls at the half they weren’t playing like a team that wanted to advance in the playoffs. They responded in a big way.

“They played like a team that should go on,” he said.

The Kats now face Billings Central in the semifinals game in Billings. They tied Billings Central in Columbia Falls 0-0 earlier this season, breaking the Lady Ram’s 45-game winning streak.

“We’ll have to play the best game of the year for sure,” Trenerry said. “We’ll have to pick it up even more than the last game.”

The Kats are 8-1-4 overall, while Billings Central is 11-0-2. The Lady Rams beat Corvallis 5-0 to advance to the next round. Saturday’s game is at noon at Wendy’s Field on the Rocky Mountain College campus.

Stevensville 0 0 — 0

Columbia Falls 1 4 — 5

CF — Lindsay Strouse (Ellie Johnson), 9:00

CF — Strouse (Mace Sandefer), 48:00

CF — Strouse (Skye Hatfield), 53:00

CF — Hannah Gedlaman (Haley Gemmrig), 70:00

CF — Lottie Ellis (Strouse), 75:00

Shots on goal — Stevi 3, CF 20. Saves — Stevi 7 (Evelyn Tiplady), CF 3 (Alyson Gimbel). Corner kicks — Stevi 1, CF 3. Fouls — Stevi 3, CF 9. Cards — none.