Rapids go 1-1 in physical tourney

By DAVID ERICKSON

Whitefish Pilot

A constant drizzle didn't stop the best soccer players in the state from battling it out this weekend. The Flathead Rapids, northern Montana's Premier League soccer club, went 1-1 during a tournament at Grouse Mountain Fields in Whitefish.

After beating the Great Falls Breakers 4-2 on Sunday morning, the Rapids were back on the field to play Helena United in the afternoon. In a game dominated by Flathead offensively, Helena somehow managed to escape with a 1-0 win.

"They scored just kind of a half-chance goal, a deflected goal," said O'Brien Byrd, Rapids defender and Bulldog boys soccer coach. "We had probably 70 percent possession during the game. We just couldn't break down their defense."

During a tough, physical game in which there were as many threats made to the referees as there were penalties, the Rapids failed to capitalize on several offensive chances.

Flathead players menaced the Helena side of the field throughout most of the game, but the ball was somehow denied the back of the net. In the 64th minute, a golden opportunity for a goal off a corner kick missed just wide right of the Helena net.

Byrd himself had a great chance to score when he drilled the ball from near half field late in the second half, but Helena goalkeeper Kris Lance managed to get a couple fingers on the ball, and it sailed wide right.

"Their defense was pretty dug in, and we didn't get that many quality chances," Byrd said. "They did a good job of bunkering in and holding us back."

While the Rapids were the recipients of the only two yellow cards, in the 22nd and 55st minutes, the game was intensely physical on both sides.

"All those games are like that. Justin Pete got a vicious knock, and that pretty much ended his day," said Byrd, referring to his midfielder who plays college soccer in California. Pete was carried off the field by his teammates late in the second half.

Stymied by the stout Helena defense, Byrd said the Rapids still fought hard.

"Like I told my guys after the game, even though we lost, we left it all out on the field. We put out so much effort, and to lose like that is hard, but we played a good game," he said.

Montana's Premier League consists of men's teams from all over the state. Byrd characterized the players as "the best of the best" in Montana. This year, the league features teams from the Flathead, Missoula, Helena, Great Falls, Butte and Bozeman.

"It's pretty much local heroes who have gone on to play college soccer, and this is a chance for them to keep playing during the summer," he said.

Helena United won this weekend's tournament by going 2-0. The league playoffs will take place June 30 and July 1 in Bozeman.