Libby, Columbia Falls battle to 2-2 deadlock

The Libby Loggers boys soccer team on

Senior Recognition Day at Logger Stadium looked like a team poised

to blow the game wide open scoring first, but it didn’t happen and

they allowed the Columbia Falls to hang on long enough to post a

2-2 tie in a conference game that may have dropped them from second

to third seed in the playoff hunt.

Libby senior forward Blayne Metz put

the Loggers ahead at the 21st minute on an assist from Jason

Schnackenberg, and the Loggers seemed content to allow the Wildcats

to stay at bay, 1-0.

However, in the second half, the

Wildcats, who came to Libby looking for just their second win of

the season, began to sustain pressure on the Loggers’ goalie Rob

Hamilton.

That pressure continued until the 59th

minute when Luke Kazlauskas pushed a shot past Hamilton when the

Wildcats tied the score, 1-1.

The Columbia Falls goal seemed to light

a fire under the Loggers who maintained great pressure on the

Wildcats when — just two minutes later — Talus Martin guided a

header ball from a Barak Lapka throw-in into the goal for a 2-1

lead. It was a picture-perfect score.

The lead was short-lived, however, as

Columbia Falls’ Caleb Baumann knotted the score at 2-2 with just

9:56 remaining in the game, where the final score remained.

The game was riddled with missed

opportunities for the Loggers, as evidenced by Logger coach Charlie

Webster’s post-game interview.

“We had our chances, and we just didn’t

get it done,” Webster said. “Talus (Martin) had a chance near the

end, and he knows he did. He feels bad about it. … I think he

touched the ball once too much.”

Webster said he was hoping for a better

conclusion on a day when seniors were recognized.

“It was a disappointing Senior Day for

the Loggers who had beaten Columbia Falls 4-0 in their first match

two weeks ago,” Webster said.

Webster said seniors Brandon Beaulieu,

Sawyer Browning, Edgar Cano, Hamilton, Elias Lapka, Metz, Kevin

Peel, Andrew Petersen, and Kyle Stern hope for a better outcome

during their final home game at Logger stadium against Bigfork.

The regular soccer season ends this

Saturday at Polson and play-offs begin the following weekend.

The Loggers are 2-3-1 in conference

play and 3-4-3 overall.