Dogs return to playoffs

After failing to make the playoffs last season, the Bulldogs earned a postseason match after splitting their final two conference soccer matches last week, besting Polson but falling to Libby.

On Tuesday Whitefish defeated the Pirates 3-2 and secured a playoff berth with a third-place finish in conference play.

Casey Schneider knocked in an early goal just seven minutes in and Avery Hirsch scored later in the first half. After Linde Lambson tied the score for Polson, Xander Burger scored the match winner for the Bulldogs in the 52nd minute. Goalkeeper Marty Anderson had 16 saves. Polson led in shots on goal with 20 to Whitefish’s nine.

Libby defeated Whitefish 2-0 on Saturday to finish the regular season. Cody Wood scored both goals for Libby. Whitefish had only two shots on goal to Libby’s eight, and Anderson had six saves for the Bulldogs.

Whitefish will travel to Billings Central (11-1-0) on Saturday for their first playoff match at noon. Though the last matchup between the two teams resulted in a 7-0 win for Billings, head coach John Lacey said familiarity helps as the team prepares for Saturday.

“We know them, we played them early in the year and that’s certainly going to help us,” he said. “We’re bringing a different team, we faced that team without a number of our starters who couldn’t make that trip in the beginning of the year and it was the second game in 24 hours after playing Laurel. It gives us a lot of confidence that the result we’re going to get this time, with a different team, is better than what we did last time.”

“Big picture, Billings Central is a strong team, they’ve got a great attack and they’ve been in this position in the playoffs before. But we’re going in with the idea that in one game we can beat anybody.”

Whitefish 2 1 — 3

Polson 2 0 — 2

WF — Casey Schneider (Noah Romagnuolo), 7:00

POL — Andrew Hanson (unassisted), 17:00

WF — Avery Hirsch (penalty kick), 25:00

POL — Linde Lambson (Robin Erickson), 37:00

WF — Xander Burger (Eli Joos), 52:00

Shots on goal — Whitefish 9, Polson 20. Saves — Whitefish 16 (Marty Anderson), Polson 6 (Russell Smith). Corner kicks — Whitefish 1, Polson 8. Fouls — Polson 10. Cards — Yellow: Polson 2.

Libby 0 2 — 2

Whitefish 0 0 — 0

L — Cody Wood, pk, 61:00

L — Wood (Giovanni Cano), 75:00

Shots on goal — Libby 8, Whitefish 2; Goalie saves — Libby 2 (Austin Swartzenberger), Whitefish 6 (Marty Anderson); Corner kicks — Libby 5, Whitefish 1; Fouls — Libby 10, Whitefish 8, Cards — Libby, 2 yellow.