by Scott Sacry
The Stevensville Sabres U18 boys soccer club team won the state title in the U18 Division at the Montana Cup Soccer Tournament in Helena on June 7-9. They defeated Polson 4-1 in the final game to earn the title. The Sabres boys team also won the same title last year.
In the championship game, the Sabres were comfortably ahead 3-1 before a Polson player got a red card and the Sabres finished the game with a one man advantage.
Ralph Serrette, the Sabres Club president, said, “The U18 boys championship game was well played on both sides of the ball. Polson created good scoring opportunities, and the Sabres responded with an impressive defense. It was a brilliant chess game played on a soccer pitch. The difference in this chess game was that there were no ‘kings’ or ‘queens,’ just 11 solid players on both sides who showed strength, brilliance and determination with every move and counter move.”
The Sabres defeated Real Billings, Montana Rush, and Flathead Valley United to reach the final game.
The Sabres were coached by Mayson Palen, and the team’s players came from all over the Bitterroot Valley and western Montana. From Florence and Stevensville were David Beames, Cole Fowler, Evan Montague, and Umar Sodogar. From Hamilton were Dane Hayward, Miles Hughes, Alex Koch, Zach Olbricht, Haven Osher and Kellen Yockey. There were also two Missoula players and three Frenchtown players.
The Sabres are one of over 20 Montana soccer clubs who participated in the 2024 Montana Cup. The Montana Cup is the culminating event for soccer clubs who participate in the Montana State Spring League as part of the Montana Youth Soccer Association.
The Sabres had four teams at the Montana Cup. Besides the U18 boys, they also had a U17 boys team, a U15 boys team and a U18 girls team.
Serrette said of the weekend, It is my hope and expectation that back-to-back State Titles at the U18 Boys Division is sufficient to steer more players to the Stevensville Spring Soccer Program. We are a small, fun-loving organization that is finding tremendous success. Join us!”