Logger boys make soccer history
<p>Senior keeper Raffael Webber save with less than a minute left in match vs. Polson Sept. 26.</p>
The Libby Loggers boys soccer team made history Thursday evening, with a 3-0 win over visiting rival Whitefish. This marked the first time the Loggers defeated the Bulldogs twice in one season during conference play.
“This was a terrific win for your boys and all of the other Logger soccer players who ever played for this team,” coach Mark Petersen said. “We made history tonight and we’re all very proud. We controlled the tempo of the game from the kickoff and easily had 60 to 65 percent possession.”
The Loggers first score came from 40 yards out, off the foot of Cody Wood and over the Whitefish goal-keepers outstretched hands in the 27th minute of play. Andrew Freese added a second goal in the 40th minute, off a ball played in from the backline by Bryant Reis. The Loggers took a 2-0 lead into the halftime break.
Colin Maloney provided the last nail in the Bulldogs’ coffin with an unassisted 20-yard shot in the 75th minute.
The game wasn’t all on the offense, though. Libby’s defensive backline held the Bulldogs to just one shot on goal, keeping the ball on the feet of the Loggers’ offensive unit.
“The backline of Bridger Henried, Niklaus Neumann, Tyler Lucas and Bryant Reis played a complete game and limited Whitefish to only one shot on goal the entire game,” Petersen said.
The Loggers stumbled a bit Saturday afternoon at home against visiting Polson. The pirates came away with a 2-1 victory.
Polson’s Connor Lanier, assisted by Emilio Hernandez, scored the first goal of the day in the 33rd minute. Cody Wood’s sure foot tied the score at 1-1 in the 45th minute, but Lanier managed a second score, assisted by Andrew Hanson, in the 78th minute to claim the match.
Petersen said his team is improving with each game, and credited coach Rodd Zeiler for his work in keepig the boys working and motivated.
“We’re improving each game, but so are all the other teams,” Petersen said. “The conditioning and endurance training coach Rodd Zeiler provides has made the small-sided team fit and has greatly improved the team’s performance. Coach Zeiler can get the team to commit to some very tough conditioning drills and still have fun, and we all know that the main reason any high school player plays or participates in a sport is to have fun.”