United U19 team plays well in rainy home games

The Hi-Line United soccer teams have been busy lately as soccer season is in full swing. This past weekend, the U19 team was in Havre for the first time this season, where the United had to battle the elements as much as their opponents.

In the first of two games Saturday at the soggy, rain-soaked HHS soccer fields, the U19 team fell to Sidney by the score of 7-3. The United then followed that up with a much better performance against Bigfork, but unfortunately, the U19 team still fell short in a 3-2 defeat.

“I was really pleased with the way the kids played,” United U19 head coach John Harkins said. “We are missing some kids due to injury and so we tried a new formation for the first time. We had some difficulties in the first game, but in the second game, we played really well and really should have won. So, it hurt to lose, but I was impressed with how we played.”

In the opening game against Sidney, it was Trey Schofield and Alec Drew that found the net for the United in addition to Sidney scoring an own goal on itself. And in the second game, Schofield made his presence felt again.

With the United trailing 1-0 at halftime, Schofield scored twice in the early stages of the second half to put the United in front 2-1. Yet, Bigfork scored two goals late in the game to steal the 3-2 road win.

The U19 team was also in action Saturday May 8 in Great Falls where they took on a Great Falls team that defeated it 13-0, as well as Big Timber, who knocked off the United 3-1. The only goal for the United came from Schofield. The U19 team will be back in action this Saturday as the team heads to Great Falls to take on both Helena and Livingston.

The U14 team has also been busy starting with a pair of games on May 9 in Bozeman. In the first of two games that day, the United earned a tie against Big Timber with a score of 1-1. Cole Hanson scored the only goal in the game for the United, while August Eacker had a save and Rowland Snyder had three saves. In the team’s second game, it took on Bozeman and lost 3-1. Eacker had another solid match with six saves in the loss.

This past Saturday, the U14 team was in Miles City and won its first game of the season with a 3-1 victory over Miles City. The United were led by Max Olson, who had two goals and Hanson, who also found the back of the net. Rowland Snyder pitched in with two assists, while Eacker notched 14 saves. The United finished off the weekend with a 7-0 defeat at the hands of Miles City. Eacker had seven saves in the loss, Snyder added two saves and Rhoda Peterson also had one.

“The kids played amazing in our first game,” U14 head coach Jayson Burrington said. “Everyone played their hardest and did not get discouraged. It was a total team effort.”

The U14 team will be off this weekend and will be back in action on May 30 in Sidney. The United will take on both Sidney and Miles City.