Boys earn No. 2 seed for third straight year, would host state championship with two playoff wins
By Jack Reaney SENIOR EDITOR
Homecoming soccer delivered thrills as the Lone Peak High School boys beat Laurel High School, 3-2, and the girls team made history with a 3-3 tie—just enough to earn their first-ever playoff berth.
The Big Horn girls needed to tie or win to eliminate the rival Locomotives and earn a spot in the Class A playoff tournament. Tied 3-3 at halftime, the score held as tensions rose throughout the second half. Sophomore goalkeeper Piper Dodd made a nerve-wracking save on a high-bouncing ball during extra time, and the Big Horns killed the remainder of the clock.
The home crowd erupted and Lone Peak students rushed the field to celebrate a program milestone, as the Locomotives dropped to their knees in playoff-spoiling defeat.
“It feels amazing,” senior Poppy Towle said after the game, collecting her emotions after an electrifying team celebration including a team chant of Natasha Bedingfield’s 2004 classic, “Unwritten,” which became a team anthem as they slapped a blank sheet of paper on their way out of the locker room on game days. “We’ve been working for this for four years. And the people before us have been working for it too.”
Towle said Laurel eliminated Lone Peak last year, seeding the Big Horns’ hunger for revenge. The program had previously reached a play-in game, but this time they’re in for real—they’ll travel to face Hamilton High School on Saturday, Oct. 18.
“We wanted it so bad that we had to make it happen no matter what,” Towle said, adding the team feels “stoked” and ready to go all out in the playoffs.
Senior captain Maddie Wilcynski said it feels “absolutely outstanding.”
“With this team, best feeling I’ve ever felt. We’re so excited,” Wilcynski said, adding that the team reminded itself constantly of the standards they set at the beginning of the season. “And this was our goal.”
Another team captain and giddy senior, Harper Morris said it’s an indescribable feeling.
“This was our biggest goal at the beginning of the season. And to finally make it—and not only make it, but make history for our school—it feels so special,” Morris said. “And we worked so hard to get here… Just showed up every day, worked as hard as we could, always had each other’s backs.
“Our team chemistry is on fleek,” Morris continued. “And we all love each other like sisters.”
Head coach Kim Dickerson said it feels great to watch years of work by her players pay off in dramatic homecoming fashion. The Big Horns finished with a 6-3-3 record.
“It’s just fun to see them develop through the years, and how much this game meant to them in so many ways—it was an exciting game,” Dickerson said. “I told them to entertain the crowd, and they did.”
Laurel jumped ahead to a 1-0 lead six minutes into the game, recovering quickly and scoring immediately after Wilcynski struck the crossbar with a firm shot. But 18 minutes later, the Big Horns benefited from an own-goal scored by a Locomotive defender who passed firmly back to her unexpecting goalkeeper.
Five minutes later, Wilcynski struck a perfect free kick, lofting the ball over the keeper from 42 yards and causing an eruption from the nearby student section.
“I just noticed that the keeper wasn’t really looking, and the wall [of defenders] wasn’t really looking, and I just hit it like I always do,” Wilcynski recalled after the game.
Laurel would not let the Big Horns enjoy any lead—three minutes later, they passed a long through-ball downfield for a breakaway goal and tied the score, 2-2.
With less than three minutes left, sophomore Lola Morris assisted her sister Harper, who buried the Big Horns’ third goal into the bottom corner. But again, the Locomotives chugged back and immediately scored in the final seconds before halftime.
Defense ruled the tense, scoreless second half, with possessions stuck near midfield until the final whistle spelled a first-round playoff game.
For Lone Peak to make more history against Hamilton, coach Dickerson explained they’ll need to be more consistent in working as a unit to close passing lanes on defense, and to become more of an attacking threat.
Beyond the fundamentals, Dickerson said this year’s squad has “really good team magic” from their chemistry and love for the game.
“Every year the girls come up with their own standards, and I think a lot of them just have this drive because they love this game so much, and they love playing together… It’s unique every year.”
The seniors were surprised and energized by their classmates mobbing the field to celebrate. Tears of joy, hugs and elation followed before dozens strolled to their cars in the dark, cool Big Sky night.
“We’re just happy we could give them a show,” Morris said.
Boys to face Columbia Falls Oct. 18
The boys’ playoff picture was fairly clear heading into homecoming, but a season-ending win didn’t hurt.
“It feels good to play in front of that many fans and give them a good show,” said head coach Tony Coppola.
Senior captain Brady Johnson opened the scoring six minutes into the game, corralling a pass on the right side and making a couple touches to set up a close-range shot to the opposite bottom corner.
Laurel answered seven minutes later, capitalizing on a long, bouncing pass pushed by the wind toward Lone Peak’s charging keeper, senior captain Oliver McGuire.
Toward the end of the first half, the Davis brothers collaborated as junior Dudley Davis fired a corner kick into the box and sophomore Thaddeus Davis finished it.
The Big Horns tacked a third goal two minutes later, on a half-field free kick by junior Keegan Luchini, untouched by the keeper as it bounced into the net.
The team worked to control the ball in the second half, but still failed to finish a couple opportunities. With Big Horn starters resting on the bench, Laurel made a late push with a penalty kick goal during extra time to tighten the score to 3-2.
“That was a little scary for a minute, not gonna lie there,” Coppola said, but the Big Horns held on.
The boys finished 8-3-1, earning the eastern division’s No. 2 seed in the Montana Class A state tournament for the third straight year. They’ll travel to Columbia Falls High School on Saturday, Oct. 18.
“I’m super confident going into the playoffs,” four-year keeper Oliver McGuire said after the game. “This team feels special, I think we have a lot of good bonds on the team. We’re all super close and we all play well together. We just gotta play our game.”
Fellow captain Brady Johnson added, “I think we just need to keep working hard, and really lock in this week during practice. Because we’ve had success in the past, and that seems to be what works best for us.”
Johnson will look to revive his 2023 tournament swagger, when his hat trick lifted the Big Horns to an unprecedented semifinal appearance. He said the team gets big wins whenever they play their game, and they need to stick to it.
Coppola said McGuire and Johnson have led by example for the team, and he called out Luchini and the Davis brothers for stepping into impact roles.
“We’re clicking, we’ve had two really big home wins—we beat Park pretty soundly, and these guys… I feel like we’re coming together, we’re moving the ball really well, and we’re supporting each other. That’s a big deal this year… playing positively and it’s reflecting on the field and off the field as well,” Coppola said.
The team has scored nearly 50 goals this season, an outstanding season for a team that struggled to finish offensively in prior years, Coppola said.
Johnson and McGuire reflected on their roles as seniors and team leaders, noting it was an easy team to lead and that four years go by fast.
“It’s a little surreal, I feel like it doesn’t kick in until you’re walking off the field,” McGuire said.
But if the Big Horns win their quarterfinal and semifinal games, homecoming won’t be their last time playing on home turf—they would host the Class A state championship in Big Sky.
“I’m confident we’re gonna be back playing the ‘chipper here,” McGuire said.
