Soccer standouts to play at next level

Four seniors from Whitefish’s 2012 Class A champion boys soccer team will go on to play at the collegiate level.

Curran Edland signed a letter of intent with Robert Morris University in Pittsburgh. Whitefish coach O’Brien Byrd says Edland will be pushing for playing time as a freshman at the Division I school.

“I truly think Curran was the best player in Montana this year,” Byrd said. “Plus, he’s the type of player Division I schools are looking for. He has tremendous skills and all the tools, plus he has the physical size. Players at that level are big and strong and hit hard.”

Edland tallied 21 goals and eight assists in 2012 with the Bulldogs.

Sam Donaldson, the state’s leading scorer in Class A soccer in 2011 and 2012, will go on to play at Whitworth University in Spokane, Wash. The Division III school is known as a perennial soccer power in the West.

“Whitworth called looking for a dynamic, attacking scorer on the flank,” Byrd said. “Sam fits that description.”

Donaldson tallied 24 goals and 12 assists last season to lead all scorers in Montana.

Goalkeeper Thomas Clark will play for Evergreen State College in Olympia, Wash. He signed with the NAIA school a few months ago.

“He’ll be pushing to get playing time right away as a freshman,” Byrd said.

Clark allowed just four goals all season as a senior with the Bulldogs.

Also moving to the next level, Sean Janni will walk on at Division II Bentley University in Boston.

“Sean has such strong academic goals,” Byrd said. “I’m glad he found a university where he can pursue both soccer and his studies.”

Janni tallied 10 goals and nine assists with the Bulldogs this season.

Byrd says this is the best group of seniors he’s coached in 10 seasons. He isn’t surprised so many on the team are moving on to the next level.

“We’ve had some special athletes go on to college, but not as large of a group as this,” he said. “They have so much passion and talent for the game. For these guys to continue on is pretty cool.”