By Jen Clancey STAFF WRITER
On Saturday afternoon, Aug. 30, the Lone Peak High School Big Horns faced Thompson Falls High School Blue Hawks in their season opener on Big Sky turf. The Big Horns held strong leads in both the girls’ and boys’ games by halftime, closing out the matches with shoutouts.
The girls team finished with a lineup of nine goal scorers, winning 10-0. First to score was sophomore Zoe Lucchini, finishing on a corner kick from senior captain Harper Morris. The Lone Peak girls led 2-0 by 15 minutes into the game, and while Blue Hawks junior keeper Ava Lawyer worked to tip up shots, stop breakaways and make saves, pressure from the Big Horns kept coming. Playing with no subs, the Blue Hawks struggled to contain the Big Horns’ midfield and aggressive defense.
At around 21 minutes in, Lawyer saved a shot by senior captain Maddie Wilcynski, but freshman Charlotte Kidd capitalized on the rebound, boosting the Big Horns’ lead to 3-0.
By halftime, the score sat at 6-0 after Morris sent a shot to the back of the net with an assist from Lucchini. As the game wore on, more players got their chance to shoot on goal.
Across class years, goal scorers included Kidd, eighth grader Zoey Nedved, sophomore Ella Slieff, Wilcynski, sophomore Olive Wolfe, and sophomore Lola Morris with one goal each, and sophomore Maeve McRae with two goals. McRae’s finishes included a first half grass cutter past Lawyer, who worked one-on-one against McRae to angle her out of a shot.
Senior captains Morris and Wilcynski were excited to see so many people take shots on goal in their first game of the season.
Wilcynski noted two highlights of the match: “I think our young girls getting their first goals as a Big Horn and just like the positivity that our team had throughout the game cheering each other on,” she said.
They also are excited to see their teammates gel well together.
“I would say our chemistry is a huge part of who we are and I feel like that’s why we’re able to connect and work so well together, and we also have really good work ethic—everyone on our team,” Morris said.
As for the season ahead, the captains are looking forward to playoffs, a competitive game against rival Laurel High School, and improving every step of the way in their last year on the team.
Boys beat Thompson Falls 6-0
The Big Horn boys played next, starting strong with goals by juniors Dudley Davis and Liam Barker. Joining his fellow junior goal scorers, Sid Morris volleyed a corner kick to the back of the net.
Sophomore Cullen Shiel also sent a ball soaring to the back of the left side of the net in the first half, allowing the Big Horns to wrap up the first half with a 4-0 lead.
The shots on goal were far from over; the second half saw dozens of attempts, some successfully blocked by senior Blue Hawk keeper Isaac Willite, or just beyond the goal posts. Two soared into the back of the net, one coming from sophomore Dom DiTullio for 5-0 and another from senior Brady Johnson to complete a 6-0 shutout.
Head coach Tony Coppola was happy to see the boys take opportunities in front of the goal.
“They moved the ball very well. There was good communication and one of the things that I was really impressed with was the amount of shots that we take. We’re usually not a high scoring team. So it was good to get some goals and get some shots on goal,” Coppola told EBS.
He’s excited to see the Big Horns work together as a team to move the ball down the field.
“I think they’re coming together as a team very well … there’s not a lot of ego and I feel like they’re working together. And that’s a really big part of it,” Coppola said. Goals for the team include a return to playoffs, competing in the Class A state tournament and having a safe, healthy team throughout the season.
“You know, at the end of the day, I just really want ’em to have a successful season, you know? In the classroom, you know, on and off the pitch. We try to build better humans here,” Coppola said.
