Last week, a significant new glow illuminated the high school soccer field in Columbia Falls. Floyd “Flip” Darling would have been proud, as were the community members who came together for an historic night under the lights.
It helped that the team playing in the spotlight was as skilled and aspiring as any Wildcat squad in recent memory.
This latest boys soccer team, led by homegrown head coach O’Brien Byrd, has thrust itself into the conversation as a sudden championship contender. A year after finishing 5-8 overall, the Wildcats are 7-1-1 and atop the Northern A standings.
As Byrd says, this squad has the recipe for success — experience, ability and, perhaps most noticeably, determination.
“The team is experiencing some success in the first half of this season and it’s not a mistake,” Byrd said. “We’re igniting a passion here. Ever since we lost the last game of last season, it has been talked about in every team meeting and summer workout. This season we are going after something special, and that’s a state championship.”
The girls squad is also succeeding nicely — the Wildkats are 5-3 overall and in third in the competitive Northern A behind Whitefish (7-2) and Polson (6-2).
With the championship chase under way, what better time to install stadium lights? Last February, Byrd embarked on a mission to bring lights to the high school stadium, allowing the program to host evening games to better accommodate parents and fans who had a hard time catching matches during the work day.
“I have players whose parents haven’t made it to a game yet because of the ridiculous game times,” Byrd said.
Byrd gained support and permission from the City of Columbia Falls, as well as the school board. Perhaps most importantly, he found someone who could financially support the idea — Mick Ruis. Byrd pitched the idea to Ruis, a local developer and well-known community advocate who has spearheaded several new developments in town, including the Cedar Creek Lodge.
“I gave him a two-minute spiel and told him that it’s for the community and for the kids,” Byrd said. “That’s all he needed to hear.”
Ruis covered the roughly $45,000 to pay for the lighting equipment, as well as a new scoreboard. The team previously used small temporary signs to keep score of games. Flathead Electric Cooperative covered the poles that hold the lights and crews to install them through the RoundUp for Safety program.
The end result was on full display on Sept. 22 as the Wildcats played Stillwater Christian in the first game under the lights. The Wildcats won 4-0. Columbia Falls now holds the distinction of being only the second program in the state with a soccer-specific field with lights.
“We want to be a quality program. These are things we can be proud of. The town can be proud about it,” Byrd said.
“It’s definitely exciting. There’s a buzz around town about soccer and these lights are going to be a big thing because night games are also a community event.”
Soccer was formally established at Columbia Falls High School 24 years ago. It was 1992, the second year that Montana schools began sanctioning boys and girls soccer teams, and Byrd was a sophomore who became a standout Wildcat. Northwest Montana added the sport at Flathead, Columbia Falls and Whitefish. Since then, this corner of the state has grown into a championship hub, generating a total of 13 boys titles between those three schools and four girls.
Byrd played from 1992-1995 and served as an assistant coach on the Wildcats’ varsity team in 1999, and was also head coach of the junior-varsity squad. He became head coach in Whitefish and helped build a dynasty, winning four Class A championships in 12 seasons.
Last year, he took over his former program with the goal of bringing championship glory back to his hometown. Columbia Falls has won three boys soccer state championships, the last occurring in 2005.
With a group of players eager to etch their names on a trophy, Byrd put together a rigorous offseason schedule. The team met regularly in the summer, training and going on team trips, whether it was on the lake or into Glacier National Park.
“The brotherhood is so intense. They worked their butts off in the offseason and it’s really paying off,” Byrd said.
The team has picked up noticeable wins in recent weeks, including a 2-1 victory over Polson, last year’s Northern A conference champs. An exciting matchup is slated for this Thursday, Sept. 29, at home against Whitefish. The girls play at 5 p.m. and the boys square off at 7 p.m.
Leading the way offensively for the Wildcats, senior Logan Stephens has already netted 14 goals, five more than all of last season. Stephens scored four goals last weekend in Columbia Falls’ 5-0 win over Libby. Jon Sigurdsson, a senior foreign exchange student from Iceland, has 11 goals. Goalkeeper Brandon Karberg has allowed only 11 goals in 10 matches.
“I feel like we’ve got a really good core of seniors and hard-working guys who are purely focused on winning every game,” Stephens said. “We play with a lot of heart, and that’s the most important thing with any team.”
With great expectations, and the possibility of hosting early playoff games at night, the Wildcats are keeping focused on the present. But excitement is definitely building with resounding dominance at Flip Darling Memorial Field.
“The potential is just so great with this team,” Stephens said. “All of the seniors are so excited to get in the playoffs.”