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Big Timber Wolves Playoff Game Goes to
Double Overtime vs. Lewiston
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The Big Timber Wolves Soccer Team
lost in Double Overtime vs the number 1 ranked Lewiston team. Controversy
surrounded the teams during the week prior - at issue was the place of the
playoff games to be hosted and also the league practice rules. Lewiston
wanted to meet in Billings and not play Big Timber at Big Timber, but the
president of the league put the issue to rest by deciding that the centrally
located Big Timber field was ideal for the playoffs. Lewstown's excuse
also was that the field in Big Timber is too large and the goals too
small. Lewiston's field is smaller than Big Timber's, and Lewiston was
afraid that would twart their chances of a championship. Also in
contention was the fact that Lewiston's team practiced with a college team all
year, thus giving them an advantage in practice over other teams in the
league. Big Timber wanted to keep the players who participated in the
college practices from playing, but that did not happen and Big Timber was
overruled.
Four
teams went to the playoffs, including Havre, Powell, Lewiston, and Big
Timber. The first game was Lewiston vs. Big Timber at 9:30 am.
The day saw clear conditions but very windy, a typical situation in Big
Timber. The gusting wind played havoc with the ball, as the ball would be
pushed out of bounds if you kicked it near the east side of the field.
Teams quickly adjusted, and most of the game was played in the west half of the
field. Big Timber scored first, with Jason Norris finding the back of the
net in the first half. Goalee for Big Timber, Austin Rockeman held the
number one Lewiston team to no goals for the first half, despite many tried
attempts by Lewiston.
Lewiston was dominant in the game, taking twice the number of
shots and playing twice as long near the Big Timber goal. This was a
defensive struggle all day for Big Timber, and a great tribute has to be given
to the great goaltending of Austin Rockeman. The second half was much like
the first, yet midway a kick slipped throught Austin's hands only to be caught
behind his back- it was close, as the ball never touched the ground and was
questionable whether the ball crossed the plane of the goal. But Big
Timber referee Mr. Agnew was right there and called it a goal, and Defender for 
Big
Timber Wolves Matthew Rockeman also agreed with the call. This goal tied
the game and gave Lewiston life and hope, and the rest of the game both teams
played hard knowing that the next goal would win the game.
The defensive game kept on, with both teams attempting to score but to no avail. The game went into overtime a tie 1-1. Then after an exhausting 15 minutes of overtime, the score remained the same. Then in double overtime, the same happened and it looked as if it would be a goalkick shootout to decide the game, yet with only 5 seconds left in the double overtime, Lewiston kicked a goal taking Big Timber completely by surprise and ending the game. It was a numbing experience for the Wolves, exhausted, to find the change happening so briefly and quickly. Big Timber was dissappointed but proud of their effort, as it was a tough loss but a very respectful one.
The Big Timber Wolves then played the consolation game that same day and was beat 1 to 0 in another close game. It just did not turn out to be Big Timber's day, but when Kurg Johnson put things into perspective by noting that - At the first of the season, we were ranked in last place. Now we have come a long way to place 4th in the league.
The Big Timber Wolves Soccer Team Players are:
(not in order) #4 Tami Chapel, #6 Nick Uehling, #8 Hannah Locke, #10
Jerick Graves, #12 Jeremy Countryman, #15 Angus Agnew, #18 Matthew Rockeman, #21
Jason Norris, #24 Will McGillivray, #2 Jake Hensel, #5 Noah Uehling, #7 Becky
Winters, #9 Tyrel Johnson, #11 Patrick Toth, #13 Yancy Terland, #16 Will Walker,
#20 Katie Willeke, #23 Thor Terland, #27 Guthrie Olestad, #14 Goalie Austin
Rockeman, #19 Goalie Donnie Chaney.
Coaches:
Lyle Johnson, Curg Johnson, Jennifer Johnson, and John Gregory
Photos of the game vs. Billings below. Click on the photo to see a larger view.
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