Bulldogs get gritty win against Loggers
Whitefish 2, Libby 1
Conference wins don't come any bigger for the Bulldog soccer team than the 2-1 home victory over 2008 State A champs Libby on Sept. 26.
Led by goals from Travis Adams and Cody Ling, the win put the Whitefish boys in control of the Northern A conference and their state playoff aspirations.
"This time of the season, with only two conference teams going on to state, every game is high stakes, high pressure and nerve-racking," Bulldog head coach O'Brien Byrd said. "It gives these conference games a playoff atmosphere. It was great to see the guys get the win."
The victory put White-fish on top of the conference with a 3-0-1 record in league play. Libby fell to 3-1-0 with the loss.
"It's big," senior Matt Danczyk said after the game. "It feels really good to beat the state champions in front of a big crowd, and right before Homecoming."
Danczyk has been the backbone of the defensive line and verbal leader of the team this season. The Bulldogs have allowed opponents only two goals in the past four conference games — a testament to Danczyk's abilities as a defender and leader.
"He's keeping us in a lot of games," Byrd said. "He has embraced the role of captain and as sweeper. He's a guy you're never going to take out the game because he reads the field so well."
Byrd said the sweeper position is a new role for Danczyk, who moved to the back line before conference play. He was repositioned to the defense to "help stop the bleeding," according to Byrd.
"My brother was sweeper last year," Danczyk said of his new role. "It must run in the family."
Adams opened the scoring for Whitefish at the 14-minute mark off a cross from the right side of the field by junior Jack Steele.
"Jack fed me a perfect ball," Adams said. "I got a head on it, looked back and it was in the corner of the goal."
"I haven't seen a goal of that quality in a long time," Byrd said of the header. "Travis was surrounded by three defenders. He made a late run into the box, so he had to jump over everyone and put it perfectly into the corner."
Byrd says Adams creates a lot of opportunities on goal with his deadly combination of size, strength, skill and speed. Adams currently leads the state in goals.
"You know what you are going to get from Travis every game," Byrd said. "As a captain, he leads the team by example."
Just before the half, Ling connected for the Bulldogs' second point when he found an open goal after the ball deflected off a header attempt by Adams.
Adams had three defenders on him, leaving Ling open to clean up the loose ball in the middle of the goal box.
In the final 20 minutes of the second half, Danczyk, along with defenders John Joern, Tanner Hosek, Taylor Thompson and goalkeeper Alex Whitaker, withstood a flurry of attacks by the Loggers as Libby frantically tried to equalize the score.
Libby took a mental edge in the match when Bulldog forward Steele went down with a knee injury after chasing down a loose ball. He had injured the same knee earlier in the season.
"Jack is an integral part of the team," Byrd said. "Emotionally, we lost a lot of momentum in the game."
The Loggers finally broke through at the 70-minute mark when Cree Maloney scored on a loose ball in front of Whitefish's net.
The goal cut the Bull-dogs' lead in half and gave Libby a jolt of energy, but the Loggers would get no closer before the final whistle.
The two teams meet again in Libby on Oct. 10.
Libby 0 1 — 1
Whitefish 2 0 — 2
LIBBY — NA, 60:00
WHITEFISH — Travis Adams (Jack Steele), 14:00; Cody Ling (Adams), 40:00.
Shots on goal — Libby 2, Whitefish 8
Corner kicks — Libby 0, Whitefish 0
Goalie saves — Libby 5 (Lewis Brossman), Whitefish 2 (Alex Whitaker)
Fouls — Libby 3, Whitefish 12
Whitefish 11,
Columbia Falls 0
Whitefish posted a dominating home victory over rival Columbia Falls on Sept. 24, winning the match 11-0.
Adams scored a hat trick, while Steele, Matty McCrone and Joel Bacher each tallied twice.
"We are excited that the offense is starting to gel and click," Byrd said of the double-digit score.
Freshman forward Curran Edland had a breakout game, making some impressive passes in the match and scoring an assist in the 42nd minute.
"He (Edland) is able to keep up with the speed of play," Byrd said. "His confidence is building."
The Bulldogs' defense defended the shutout behind Whitaker's two saves on goal.
"The defense stayed tight," Byrd said. "I'm excited they didn't have any let downs."
Up by five goals in the second half, Byrd cleared the bench, giving everyone in uniform an opportunity to rack up some valuable playing time.
"The bench got a taste of the rivalry and they got minutes," Byrd said. "These guys will be able to cover positions as the season progresses and injuries happen."