Bulldog boys pushed in Park game, but collect two more wins

The Bulldogs were tested early in a match against Livingston last week, but in the second half, Whitefish scored three unanswered goals to secure the win.

As the Livingston game was the bigger test, Whitefish went on to defeat Lone Peak the next day 6-0. The two wins improve the Bulldogs' overall record to 4-0 so far this season.

On Thursday Whitefish played in a close game with Livingston (Park). Bulldog Sam Dow scored a beautiful goal assisted by Logan Bingham in the 30th minute. That was answered just moments later by Park’s John Hasbrook to knot up the score. The score remained 1-1 heading into halftime and the Bulldogs needed to look at how to settle into their system of play.

“Put under pressure by a better team, we were forced into going away from the way we wanted to play,” Whitefish head coach John Lacey said. “The boys needed to reset at halftime… (knowing) if we do the work for each other stuff will open up.”

The Bulldogs were more patient with the ball and played the ball on the ground more often, settling into their system of play in the second half. The work to lead up to goal-scoring opportunities became more fluent and it paid off in the 59th minute when Whitefish’s Elijah Adams-Griffin scored the go-ahead goal.

After a quick celebration, Whitefish got to work again. In the final minutes, back-to-back goals by Bingham and Preston McPherson sealed the win for the Dogs. Whitefish outshot the Rangers 11-6 and Whitefish keeper Ethan Schott made five saves.

“It really came together in that last 15 minutes of the game,” Lacey said.

On Saturday, the Bulldogs played well again in their 6-0 win over Lone Peak. Dow was the first to score again, along with McPherson and Griffin Gunlikson who also had first-half goals. Whitefish took a 3-0 lead into halftime.

After the break, Whitefish continued its groove with Collin Lyman, Kyler Jonson and Chris Noone all scoring. Bingham also had two assists as the Bulldogs had 12 shots to Lone Peak’s two shots.

Whitefish again had a mix of players score goals over both games last week and shows the team has a balanced scoring attack within their system of play.

“It’s affirming to me, and hopefully to the boys, if players do the work it doesn’t really matter who’s in there — the way of playing will generate goals,” Lacey said. “I love that we’re sharing it, there are definitely some really talented goal scorers… but for right now it’s a sign that we’re learning how to play together the way that we want to play.”

Whitefish now turns its focus to the first Northwest A conference games this season against Libby and Polson. Lacey says the conference games are the most important and the boys will be ready.

“It’s certainly a different level of expectation on our end. We know these games matter more, they just do,” Lacey said.

The Bulldogs host Libby at Smith Fields at 6 p.m. on Thursday and then road trip to Polson on Saturday for a noon start time against the Pirates.

Livingston 1 0 — 1

Whitefish 1 3 — 4

WF — Sam Dow (Logan Bingham) 30:00

L — John Hasbrook 34:00

WF — Elijah Adams-Griffin (Ramzi Maaliki) 59:00

WF — Bingham (Ryder Elliott) 76:00

WF — Preston McPherson (Elliott) 77:00

Shots — Livingston 6, WF 11; Corner kicks — Livingston 5, WF 4; Fouls — Livingston 8, WF 6; Goalie saves — Livingston 7 (Gage Bober), WF 5 (Ethan Schott); Cards — Livingston 1 (yellow).

Lone Peak 0 0 — 0

Whitefish 3 3 — 6

WF — Sam Dow (Logan Bingham) 11:00

WF — Preston McPherson (Bingham) 37:00

WF — Griffin Gunlikson 39:00

WF — Collin Lyman (Kyler Jonson) 53:00

WF — Jonson (Justis Arterbury) 57:00

WF — Chris Noone 75:00

Shots — LP 2. WF 12; Corner kicks — LP 4, WF 11; Fouls — LP 10, WF 8; Goalie saves — LP 6 (Sawyer Wolfe, Oliver McGuire), WF 2 (Ethan Schott, Charlie Dow).