Bigfork boys soccer team has short, strong bench for new season

What the Bigfork High School boys soccer team lacks in quantity this season they hope to make up in quality.

The Vikings, who made it to the playoff semifinals last season, lost six seniors to graduation plus a foreign exchange student.

"The bad news is our squad has been shortened up," said BHS Head Boys Soccer Coach Keith Koslosky. "But the good news is I believe that those who are on the team are ready to contribute to this team. Our bench should be solid up and down. This is a talented group that is going to be exciting to watch."

The team is gaining four incoming freshmen as well as junior Dylan Reichenbach and a new student from Florida, Luke Scrase. The remaining 10 players were a part of last year's squad, including four seniors Skyler Doak, Keenan Evans, Alec MacCallum and Lael Richmond.

"Our seniors are doing a great job of stepping up and leading by example," Koslosky said.

As was the case last year, the team was without a goalie when practices began a few weeks ago. Zac Hansen filled the position last year after the team tried out a few different people, but he has since graduated. This year junior Nate Roberson has volunteered to take on the post. Although he has been a field player the past two seasons for the Vikings, Roberson has goal tending experience from his youth soccer years prior to high school.

"So far, everything I've seen from him in the goal I've been impressed with," Koslosky said. "He'll be solid."

The Vikings will start off their season with a home game against Columbia Falls at 11 a.m. on Saturday, Aug. 29. All BHS home soccer games will take place at Carlisle Johnson Field.

"It's always nice to be home," Koslosky said. "I think it will be a spirited contest."

The boys and girls soccer teams are the only athletics programs from BHS that will still play in Class A because soccer is not offered in Class B. BHS first became a Class A school in the 1997-1998 school year. In 2001 the school added a soccer program which competed solely on the junior varsity level before stepping up to varsity the following year.

This is Koslosky's fourth year coaching the BHS boys, making this year's seniors the first group he has had since they were freshmen. That stability seems to be making a positive difference.

"Last year we worked a little bit on the psychological part of playing sports and I think that really paid off when we got into tougher matches," Koslosky said. "I think they picked the ball up right where they left off."

Although Koslosky and his assistant coach Mike Daniels are keeping most things the same for the new season, practices are now including additional conditioning.

"It was brought to our attention by one of our seniors that the biggest difference between us and our competition is our lack of conditioning so we're focusing more on that," Koslosky said. "I think they're relishing in it. I think they know it's going to benefit them in the long run."

Bigfork will follow their season opener with another home game on Tuesday, Sept. 1 against Stillwater Christian School, which will be a non-conference game.