Soccer teams make push for playoffs

The Lady Loggers soccer team isn’t going to win the World Cup anytime soon. But don’t tell them that.

With a 1-1 tie with Bigfork and a huge 5-2 win over conference foe Polson, the Lady Loggers, a team that won no games last season, is a cleat’s width from playoffs.

If Libby beats Polson when the teams meet Oct. 4, or if Bigfork beats Polson, Libby is through to playoffs, said head coach Joe Cik.

Understandably, Cik likes the increased confidence in his girls.

“Before the (Polson) game they came together and motivated themselves,” he said. “They went from whistle to whistle with no quit in them.”

Two days after senior striker Sarah Nash notched the equalizer against a resilient Bigfork 11, she struck twice again and added an assist in one of the most dominant games the Lady Loggers have played yet this season.

The Lady Pirates’ keeper had so many Libby shots flying at her it must have looked like a war zone. Libby fired on-goal 19 times.

The increased confidence is important in any sport, but for free-flowing ones like soccer and basketball, it becomes vital. A single play can turn momentum and run one team out of the building.

Cik was feeling it, too, when asked about his team’s rematch with Columbia Falls on Tuesday afternoon.

“If we play like we did against Polson, it could be a different story this time around,” he said. 

The Wildkats crushed the Lady Loggers in Columbia Falls on Sept. 15, 9-0, but that was before Libby’s renaissance of spirit.

If Danni Hawthorne plays another superb game in goal and Nash and senior striker Elly Webster can keep the ball in play in C-Falls territory, it could be a much tighter game than the last go-round. 

The boys soccer team had a busy week, playing a talented Bonners Ferry squad and then tackling two conference match-ups with Bigfork and Polson.

The Loggers had similar results to the ladies, losing to Bonners 2-1, tying the Vikings 1-1 and beating Polson 4-0.

Libby is now 3-4-2 overall and 1-2-2 in conference, putting them in the heat of the action for playoff contention.

Junior midfielder Jason Schnackenberg scored twice in the shutout of Polson, and junior midfielder Adam Neisess scored his first goal of the season with an assist by freshman midfielder Johnny Davidson.

The Logger defense has tightened up, allowing three goals in three matches while the offense doubled up with six scored.

Keeper Austin Nagle had a shining example of the improved defense against Polson, head coach Charlie Webster said.

“Nagle made one of the best saves I have seen as a high school coach,” he said. “Diving once to make a point-blank shot, then getting up in time to dive again to knock away the rebound.”

Webster said it was a pivotal moment in a close game that helped the Loggers win.

Whitefish has clinched the first of three playoff spots, and Libby, Bigfork, Polson and Columbia Falls are battling for the second and third. 

With ties against Columbia Falls and Bigfork and the big win over Polson, the Loggers are looking longingly at one of the spots. Libby plays Columbia Falls on Tuesday at home, and face Polson and Whitefish the first week of October, giving the Loggers three shots at earning conference wins.

Polson and Columbia Falls travel to Libby, giving Logger faithful a chance to watch their team clinch a playoff spot at home.