Soccer squads to take to the road to open season

The Vikes and Vals soccer teams will be in south central Montana to open the season this weekend as they take on Park in Livingston Friday before traveling down to Big Sky to take on Lone Peak Saturday.

The Valkyries are coming off a 2022 season which saw them go 8-4 overall and 6-2 in conference before losing out to Columbia Falls 2-1 in a one-game playoff.

The Vals lost just two players from last year’s squad and will look to make their mark this season with six seniors, including Haley Schara, Zoe Guffin, Danika Bucklin, Callie Gembala, Piper Buzzell and CeCe Panor.

The Vikings went 4-8 overall last season and 2-6 in conference play.

The Vikes were hit hard by graduation last year, losing eight players, but do return four players for their senior season - Trevor Hill, North Nollan, Caleb Riedesel and Jack Jensen.

Both squads will play their first home game next Thursday as they host Frenchtown at Carlyle Johnson Park starting with the boys at 4 p.m.

The teams will be in action again as they host Hamilton Sept. 2 before opening conference play at home against Columbia Falls Sept. 5.