COLUMBIA FALLS — For the second time in program history, Columbia Falls brought home the Class A girls state soccer championship.
Although the Wildkats' most recent championship was back in 2004, this year’s senior class experienced four semifinal appearances along with an additional appearance in the title game in 2023.
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Columbia Falls coach Thomas Clark said this was an achievement that the members of this team had been knocking on the door of for years.
“Even though this team has a lot of similar personnel to the team that lost two years ago in Whitefish, they've just been there,” said Clark, whose team shut out Bigfork 4-0 on Nov. 1 to capture the crown. “They've been in these moments, they know how to execute and they know what they're fighting for, and so I think that experience piece made a huge difference for us.”
The seniors made a huge impact all throughout the playoffs, scoring multiple goals, and in the championship match it was senior captain Mila Johns who scored the second goal to give the Wildkats momentum in the second half.
“It was just so fun when it went in because I really wanted to score, and that was kind of my goal for the last game,” Johns said. “Leaving the season, it's just something I can look back on and be proud of for the last game.”
Another key factor in the championship run was the team securing home-field advantage with an undefeated regular season, which helped younger players like Onnikka Lawrence, who scored two goals in the championship match.
“Even though Columbia Falls is small, we're very strong with our community,” Lawrence said. “Having everybody come out is super exciting, and all the loud cheering when you do good things, it's just really cool.”
The community has watched all the Wildkats players, especially the seniors, since they were in youth soccer, and was proud to watch them hoist the team’s first trophy in over 20 years.
“They're just such great, wonderful role models for our young players and our young soccer players in the community,” Clark said. “At the junior high and at the middle school, and just means the world to be able to see them get it done and end their career on top of the mountaintop.”
