Girls soccer heads into playoffs

After a slow start to its season, the Bigfork girls soccer team has managed to finish out with a 3-5 record and earn the No. 3 seed for the Northern Division in the Class A playoffs.

The Valkyries clinched their spot Thursday night with a 2-0 victory in Polson, which was also hunting for the division’s final playing spot — the first two went to Whitefish and Columbia Falls.

In Thursday’s game, neither team was able to get the ball into the back of the net during the first half.

“We started well, but Polson played tough and their excellent keeper kept them in the game,” Appleby said.

In an attempt to get their work to develop into some goals, Bigfork made adjustments at halftime.

“In the second half we surprised them by shifting away from Caitlin (Charlebois) to get Kenna (Hauns) and Miranda (Miller) open,” Appleby said. “Caitlin worked her butt off all game and that drew at least two Polson defenders to her for most of the game. I know she was frustrated, but I also know that her effort is what ultimately made it possible for us to win.”

Bigfork took a 1-0 lead in the 42nd minute of the game with a goal by Miller assisted by Hauns.

“Kenna made a great pass to Miranda, and, just like we practiced and talked about, Miranda finished,” Appleby said. “Then Polson really came at us, and in our injured and depleted state, we were having trouble even clearing the ball, but our defense stood strong and the keeper had some great saves. In the end, they had to push up and we caught them on a great lead pass from Jessica Killian to free up Miranda, and she went on the opposite side of the net to beat a keeper that had really been stumping us all night.”

Miller ended up with the only other goal of the night on that play, which fell in the 78th minute. Bigfork continued to hold the Lady Pirates scoreless and senior Sierra Fischer earned her second shutout in a row, while being credited with nine saves.

“After the whistle blew, I could feel four years of disappointment and disgust and bad endings wash away,” Appleby said. “These girls have been trying so hard to get to this point, especially the seniors, and it was a moment of pure happiness and triumph for the girls.”

The last time the Bigfork girls soccer team made it to the state playoffs was in 2003. During that run, the girls lost out after three games in a what was then a double-elimination bracket.

Bigfork is headed to Billings to face Billings Central (6-0). The game will be at 11 a.m. at Rocky Mountain College.

“Billings Central beat us up pretty good after taking a bus all the way out to Bigfork, playing the night before against a solid team (Whitefish) and then spending the night in a hotel,” Appleby said. “Now we have to try to return the favor.”

Bigfork may not have won the early season match against the Eastern powerhouse, but the Valkyries are playing a different game than they were in August.

“It was a 6-0 Billings win, but it wasn’t even that close,” Appleby said. “We played them close until the 68th minute when they scored four quick goals to finish the game, but they had chances all game, while we had a lot of trouble trying to figure out their defense. Now, almost a whole season later, they still haven’t lost a game and it is our first soccer state trip for any of these girls. We are going up against last year’s state champions and a very well coached and playoff hardened team.”

Although he knows it will be a tough match, Appleby isn’t throwing in the towel yet.

“We don’t care about Billings’ reputation,” Appleby said. “We know they are good because we played them this year and they took us out pretty easily, but we didn’t work this hard to make the playoffs just to fall down. We are going to give them our best game, and they better be ready for it. I have heard some people in the community speak of the game as if it is a done deal, but this is why we play them. We want to move on just as much as they do.”

Stillwater Christian

The Bigfork girls’ big game of the season was against Polson, but the following night they finished up their regular season schedule with a game at Stillwater Christian School, which they won 12-0.

“Stillwater was a tough game. We came out flat and we came out a little weak,” Appleby said. “I think the back-to-back nature of the game made it tough, but after an emotional win like we had, it was like we just wanted to go home. As the game progressed, they started to play more and more like a team and we got some good work in. “

Quinci Paine started the scoring rally for the Vals in the 7th minute. Charlebois put her first of six that game in during the 11th minute with an assist from Paine. Her other goals went in during the 20th, 27th, 64th and 76th minute.

Miller scored for Bigfork in the 23rd minute with an assist from Hauns, who went on to score in the 36th minute with an assist from Charlebois to give the Vals a 6-0 lead at the half.

Appleby tried not to run the score up to high on the Stillwater team, which is in its first year of competing in girls soccer. However, with McKinze Shults nursing an injured leg and a few other players struggling with problems of their own it made it tough.

“Unfortunately, due to injuries we had no subs and the girls, some who I would have liked to sit out, had to play the whole game,” Appleby said. “I got a little creative in their positions, though, to give some girls rest and to give others some playing time in a place they might not have had a chance before.”

In addition to Charlebois’ three second-half goals, two of which she was assisted with by Jessica Killian, Bigfork also added to its goal list with successful shots by Paine in the 53rd minute, Hauns in the 58th and Paine again in the 79th assisted by Charlebois.

Fischer extended her shutout streak to three games and had 36 saves against Stillwater.

 “Sierra has been steadily improving over the season, but I think that something clicked after the blowout (11-0) loss to Whitefish,” Appleby said. “It could have gone one of two ways. Either a keeper is demoralized and just can’t play at all anymore, or she gets stronger, vowing never to let it happen again.”

The path Fischer took is obvious, but it took some work on her part.

“We worked on a few fundamental skills before the Libby game, but really it just comes down to instincts and being in the right place,” Appleby said.

The shutouts were also a credit to Bigfork’s defense, which has come a long way this season through hard work and a few adjustments.

“I moved Quinci back to center defense,” Appleby said. “This move was to give the girls one voice back there. This season we have had plenty of talent in the D, but no real leader to quarterback the game. Quinci, a strong senior voice, has filled that void. We miss her up top a lot, but she has helped to settle the defense and has made a lot of strong cogs work together.”