Clark Fork soccer clubs claim victories

The fall soccer season is showing some promise for two local clubs, each claiming victories at the Amundson Sports Complex Thursday evening.

Joshua Allday's Clark Fork Soccer Alliance 17-member coed team shutout the Stillwater Christian Cougars 7-0 in the first game of the day. The Cougar high school junior varsity team - all boys - had a 4-1 record prior to their encounter with Allday's team at Plains.

Claire Wrobleski and Chesney Lowe, the only two girls on Allday's team, also played on the girls' varsity team immediately after the boys' varsity team and each scored twice, taking the girls to a 5-2 victory over the girls Stillwater Christian Cougars. Madison Toyias of the Clark Fork Soccer Alliance also scored one goal.

The Clark Fork Soccer Alliance is comprised of 30 teams from Superior, St. Regis, Hot Springs, Thompson Falls, and Plains with about 250 players, according to Nick Lawyer, coach for the girls team. The season began earlier this month and finishes on Oct. 23. Lawyer has players from 11-17 years old from Thompson Falls, Plains and St. Regis. His team had already claimed a 5-1 victory against Columbia Falls, but suffered a 10-2 defeat against Hellgate. Allday has players from eighth grade to 18 years old from Trout Creek, Thompson Falls and Plains. Players from both teams served as referees when not playing. The total games varies from team to team, said Lawyer, who's been a coach for 13 years. He said that for the boys varsity it's usually 12 games and 13 games for the girls.

In the first game of the day, Clark Fork scored within three minutes of the start of the game, followed by the second and third goals almost immediately. The Cougars had a couple close calls, but were blocked by Clark Fork's keeper.

The girls had the lead throughout most of the game, scoring two in the first half. A pass from Lowe to Madison Toyias gave Clark Fork a third goal, followed by a Wrobleski score to bring the total to five. With 16 minutes left in the game and darkness quickly approaching, Stillwater slipped one past the Clark Fork keeper. Two minutes later, the Cougars scored again for 5-2. Referee Darren Pullen called the game on account of darkness with nine minutes left in official play, giving Clark Fork the win.