United soccer off and running

One sport that tends to get overlooked in the spring in Montana is soccer Yet, the Hi-Line United soccer teams have been playing for close to a month now and this weekend, both teams will have games right here in Havre.

The Hi-Line United soccer program will once again have two teams this year. One will be the U19 team, which is for high-school age kids and the other is a U15 team, which allows age ranges of up to 15.

Both teams will play for around two months against multiple teams from around the state. At the end of the year, both teams will compete in the Montana Cup that relates to their age group.

The season started April 2 for both teams as each was in Miles City for the opener. The U19 team dropped each of its first two games by the scores of 6-0 to Big Timber and 9-0 to Miles City.

The U15 team, on the other hand, earned a 2-2 against Big Timber, before falling to Miles City 6-2. Isabella Snyder and Sean Borrero each scored a goal in the draw against Big Timber, while Josiah Triplett notched seven saves. Gabe Triplettt and Noah Teasley each managed goals in the four-goal loss to Miles City.

Both teams were also in action April 9 in Lewistown. The U15 team, which is led by head coach Jayson Burrington, got its first win of the season thanks to a 4-3 triumph over Lewistown. Max Olson and Borrero both scored twice in the win. The U15 also lost a hard fought 8-6 decision against Red Lodge. Olson had another stellar game, scoring three times. Snyder, Justin Rolf and Michael Chagnon also scored goals. The U19 team also played two games down in Lewistown and were defeated by Red Lodge 3-0, before falling to a skilled Livingston team, 8-0.

The U19 team, which played Miles City and Sidney this past weekend, is led by head coach John Harkins, who managed the team a season ago. The roster features a total of 19 players. Alex Drew was one of the team’s top performers a season ago and he will be joined on the squad by Zachary Barnes, James Berry, Emily Brurud, Benjamin Dolph, Christina Fisk, Levi Huston, Clifford Lenhardt, Correy Lloyd, Sawyer Manuel, Dean Marion, Michelle Rainey, Trenton Smith, Olivia Synder, Rowland Synder, Kaylee Teasley, Juan Valdez, Natalie Verploegen and Mitchell Woods.

Burrington’s U15 team also had 16 total players. And in addition to Borrero, Chagnon, Snyder, Olson, Justin Rolf, Gabriel Triplett and Josiah Triplett, the rest of the United U15 squad includes Rhoda Peterson, Troy Powell, Brianna Rainey, Heather Rolf, Torek Swensen, Noah Teasley as well as Miya and Slyvia Wilting.

The Hi-Line United will be playing their first home games of the season this weekend at the Havre High soccer fields, which just got new soccer goals, which were the result of more than $5,500 in fundraising.

The new goals will get plenty of work as both teams play Lewistown and Miles City. There will be a total of six games and they will be played two at a time starting at 9 a.m. The other starting times will be 1 p.m. and 4 p.m.