Corvallis’ Emmet Semple gets past the Livingston keeper and sets up for a shot on goal. Corvallis won and will play next week in the semi finals in Billings. Jean Schurman photo.
The Corvallis boys controlled their first round playoff game from the beginning against Livingston while the Hamilton girls had to battle 100 minutes plus a shootout. However the outcome was the same in both matches, a semi final berth in the state finals.
Corvallis knew they would have a battle on their hands against Livingston, the No. 3 seed from the east, on Saturday. Early in the season the two teams met with Corvallis coming out the winner in that match.
“They are a big, physical team,” said coach Greg Shifflett. “We knew it was going to be a fight.”
But Shifflett’s team had confidence they would be able to handle the Rangers. And they did. The Blue Devils played a solid defense that limited Livingston’s shot and kept them in the middle of the field or on their own end. Cayden Ayers said his Blue Devil team knew the Rangers had improved but “we played better.”
Corvallis scored their first goal at 13 minutes on a penalty kick when Ayers slipped the ball past the Livingston keeper. Eight minutes later, Emmett Semple got the keeper, Keaten Barbula, out of position again for another goal. Ayers scored again at 28 minutes off a Grant Martin assist. That was the end of the offense and then it was up to the defense to keep in front of the Rangers and not allow any shots. The strategy worked and the Blue Devils won, 3-0.
Corvallis took 17 shots on goal while limiting Livingston to only 10. Barbula had 11 saves. Corvallis’ Justin Catanach had six saves. There were 21 total fouls.
Corvallis will advance to the semi finals where they will play Billings Central in Billings on Saturday, October 24.
The Hamilton girls battled Belgrade to a 1-1 tie at the end of regulation in their quarterfinal match but then prevailed in the shootout to win the game. Hamilton went into the match as the No. 1 seed from the south while Belgrade was the No. 3 seed from the east. They will play Laurel on Saturday in Laurel in the semi finals.
It was a defensive fight throughout the game with neither side giving an inch. Hamilton seemed a half a step off at times on offense but their strong defensive play kept the Panthers from scoring. The first half was scoreless for both sides and it wasn’t until 55 minutes into play when Belgrade’s Mariah Morgan scored. Ten minutes later, Reilly Rostad scored off a Kendal Gordon assist to tie the game. The game ended in a tie and went into overtime that consists of two overtime periods of 10 minutes each. Neither team scored in either period that set up the shootout.
A shootout consists of up to five players from each team going up against the opposing goalkeeper. Hamilton’s Baylie Duce stepped up and sent the ball into the net. Mallory McGill also hit the net for the Broncs. Hamilton’s keeper, Larami Schara, blocked two of three Belgrade shots to give Hamilton the edge and the win.
Hamilton took 11 shots on goal while Belgrade had 13 shots. Schara had 11 saves in regulation and overtime play.
The Stevensville boys were in Belgrade in quarterfinal action. Quade Renstrom scored once in the first half at 21 minutes and again in the second on a penalty kick at 69 minutes but it was not enough and the Yellowjackets lost, 7-2. Belgrade had 15 shots on goal while Stevensville took six. Tristan Pearson had 10 saves for the ‘Jackets. Stevensville finished their season with a 4-6-1 record.
The Corvallis girls went up against Billings Central, the No. 1 seed from the east. Billings Central got on the board early and never let up. They went on to win, 5-1. Corinne Sanderson had the only Corvallis goal at 29 minutes. The Blue Devils took three shots on goal and Kira Doyle had 5 saves. Corvallis finished their season with a record of 4-8-1. 