Boys clinch second place, plan to host playoff game; girls to face Laurel in first-ever tournament play-in
By Jack Reaney SENIOR EDITOR
On Monday night, Lone Peak High School soccer played its final home game of the season, hosting East Helena High School with their eyes on playoff soccer.
Four Big Horn girls scored a pair of goals each: freshmen Maeve McRae and Lola Morris; and juniors Harper Morris and Maddie Wilcynski. Freshman Olive Wolfe also scored in the Big Horns 9-0 win.
The barrage continued in the boys game.
Senior Arlo Hurlbut scored in the second minute of the game, and again seven minutes later. Seniors Finn McRae and captain Garin Staudt followed, and by the time captain Cameron Pecunies scored, four of five seniors had scored in the first half.
Freshman Carver Liedberg added his first-ever high school goal, and the Big Horns led 6-0 at halftime. Lone Peak rested its starters in the second half, the score would remain 6-0.
With Monday’s victory, the boys team clinched second place in the eastern division of Montana Class A and expects to host a first-round playoff game. Whitefish High School is the likely visitor, and the date and time of Lone Peak’s home playoff game have not been determined.
The Big Horn girls will finish in third place, earning them a play-in game against Laurel High School. By coincidence, they’ll face Laurel in their final regular season game on Saturday, Oct. 12, but the outcome will not carry playoff implications.
The third-place finish represents the best in program history for the Big Horn girls, and their play-in game will be the program’s first-ever.
Most of the evening’s focus was directed toward graduating seniors in their final regular season home game.
Boys honor five seniors
Monday was Senior Night for the Big Horns, and Athletic Director John Hannahs began by introducing Lone Peak’s “fantastic” soccer managers, Frieda Fabozzi and Jillian Blakeley.
“We are most grateful for your dedication and support of helping our players and coaches develop into kind, caring and compassionate humans. Your energy and attention to detail is beyond your years. Our success is directly linked to your endeavors as our team personnel,” the coaches wrote.
The Big Horn boys honored five senior players; the 2024 girls team did not have any seniors.
Garin Staudt grew up playing soccer and played throughout high school. He advises teammates to have fun, work hard and listen to coaches. He plans to attend Montana State University.
Cameron Pecunies played 12 years of soccer, including four years for Lone Peak, and enjoyed beating Park High School both times in 2024. He advises young players to work hard and stay open to feedback. He plans to attend college but is unsure where.
Finn McRae began playing soccer in kindergarten and played throughout high school. He advises young players to make the most of every moment, even morning and preseason practices. He has not yet decided where he’d like to attend college.
Jack Sheehan played four years with Big Sky Futbol Club and joined the Big Horns for his senior year. He advises younger players to listen and trust their coaches. Sheehan plans to study finance in college.
Arlo Hurlbut grew up playing soccer and played throughout high school. He advises young players to have fun and be nice to each other. He envisions attending college in a location with lots of snow.
Coaches Tony Coppola and Jeremy Harder wrote a farewell statement to the seniors:
“Gentlemen, thank you for four years of determination, perseverance and dedication to the mens Big Horn soccer program. Whether you have been here for a year, or four years, it has been a pleasure watching you all develop into fine young men, community members and soccer players. We hope you will someday find value in lessons we have proposed, tactics for navigating the world, and skills for adapting to the ever-changing landscape of human ecology.
We wish you all the best in years to come, and hope you will continue to be the amazing humans that you are. Much love.”
