Sports Weekend: Loggers to battle Belgrade for soccer title

For the past 12 years since most of this year’s seniors began playing organized soccer together, there have been both triumph and heartbreak on the field of battle.

Now, the ultimate prize – a high school state championship – is within their grasp. The Loggers will play for Class A’s top trophy on Saturday at 1 p.m., against visiting Belgrade.

On paper, Libby appears to be the favorite with home-field advantage, a 4-3 victory over the Panthers earlier this season, strength of schedule and more playoff experience. But head coach Charlie Webster knows there are many factors that will come into play when the two schools collide on Saturday afternoon.

“We have to make sure we have good touches and play smart, organized soccer,” Webster said. “We need to go play our game and keep a cool head.”

The adrenalin will be pumping in the athletes, coaches and parents when Libby hits the field for the big finale. Once the game starts, Webster hopes his athletes will keep those emotions in check.

“You worry as a coach about how much that will affect the players so you try to temper that a little bit,” he said. “There’s a little more drama than usual and it’s exciting to play at home.”

Libby and Belgrade approach the game with a similar style ball-control offense. The Panthers may have one advantage – the coach’s familiarity with his opponent’s players.

“Ric Plante, the coach, does summer camps up here in Libby,” Webster said. “He knows most of our players very well so that’s probably not the best thing for us.”

In the first meeting this year between the two schools, Libby shot out to a 3-0 lead by halftime and then survived a late Panther rally.

Belgrade’s playoff success had been limited until this year. The Panthers’ first-round victory represented the program’s first-ever playoff win.

The weather and field conditions could play into the matchup. This weekend’s weather predicts temperatures in the 40s with a chance of precipitation. The field will likely get a good workout on Friday night when the Loggers’ football team hosts a first-round playoff game.

“With a possession-oriented team, I’d hate to think that the field could change things but it could,” Webster said. “If it’s hard and bumpy, it could change things a lot.”

— — —

Libby, Troy open

football playoffs

After a two-year absence, the Loggers return to the Class A state football playoffs on Friday night with a first-round game against Stevensville.

The Loggers enter the contest with an overall record of 5-4. Libby is coming off one of its biggest wins in recent memory – a 17-16 victory over Polson thanks to a touchdown with 1:11 left in the game.

Senior quarterback Kelly May is also coming off one of his better career games and both Kody Berget and Tyler Troy represent a dangerous threat for opposing defensive backs.

Libby’s running game took a serious hit with the loss of Corey Chapman to a knee injury. But against Polson, both Colby Rybar and Justin Thrailkill got their yards behind a line of scrimmage that stuck to their assignments.

The Loggers have really elevated their play on defense with hard hitters capable of creating turnovers. Special teams have been a bright spot as well – especially Patrick Valentine’s leg on kickoffs, extra points and field goals.

Stevensville finished 3-2 in the Southwestern A and 5-3 overall. The Yellowjackets suffered a 47-0 rout last week at the hands of unbeaten Dillon.

Kickoff is scheduled for 7 p.m. Friday.

Troy will hit the road for the opening round in the Class B playoffs on Saturday. The Trojans will face Superior, a team that escaped Troy earlier this season with a 14-8 win.

Coach Rich McElmurry’s group, the third seed out of District 7-B, enters the postseason with an overall record of 4-4.

The Trojans took an 8-6 lead over Superior into the game’s final five minutes when they met on Oct. 1. But a series of late mistakes took their toll and the Bobcats nabbed the win.

Troy raised a few eyebrows this season with a campaign that included a victory over a then-unbeaten Florence squad. The Trojans mix up their offense with a passing game capable of striking for big plays but also with a steady running game that features Cory Orr. Senior quarterback Mikey Ormiston runs the offense and his primary targets include Kody Hoffman, Tommy Nyland, Ryan Rayson and Derrick Winslow.

The Trojan defense has evolved into a sound unit behind the exceptional talent of Hoffman.

The biggest Achilles’ heel this season for the Trojans has been turnovers and penalties.

Superior finished the season at 3-1 in District 6-B and 6-2 overall. The Bobcats are coming off a 34-27 win over Loyola Sacred Heart for the district title.

Kickoff is scheduled for 1 p.m., on Saturday at Superior.

— — —

Lady Trojans head

to district tourney

The Troy volleyball squad heads to the District 7-B tournament at Thompson Falls on Friday and Saturday with high hopes of moving on to divisionals.

The Lady Trojans finished the regular season strong with victories over Bigfork and Thompson Falls. They enter the tournament as the No. 4 seed and will face the host school on Friday in the first round at 1 p.m.

With a win, the Lady Trojans would take on top-seeded Eureka at 5 p.m. With a loss, Troy would drop down into the loser’s bracket and most likely face either Mission or Bigfork at 11 a.m. Saturday.

The double-elimination tournament wraps up Saturday at 7 p.m., with the championship match. The top four teams qualify for divisionals.

Troy enters the tourney after a regular season that included records of 5-5 in the district, 7-12 overall.

— — —

LHS volleyball team

gets ready for divisionals

Libby’s volleyball team was scheduled to wrap up its regular-season schedule on Thursday with a Senior Night match against Whitefish. The match had originally been scheduled for Friday but was moved up one day at the request of the opponent.

The Lady Loggers will next take the court on Nov. 5-6 at the divisional tournament at Columbia Falls.