The long offseason is over for the Butte High soccer teams.
The Bulldog boys and girls open the season Thursday when they welcome Great Falls High to the Jeremy Bullock Soccer Complex.
Butte’s boys’ team opens play at 3:30 p.m. The girls follow at 5:30.
Butte High coaches Eric Zahler and Sean Cleverly enter their second years in their current positions.
Zahler coached the girls’ team for several years before taking over the boys last year. His team is missing, among others, Brandon Loeffler from last year’s team that went 5-6-2 on the season.
Zahler says he’s going to replace his stars with a team effort.
Butte High will look to the likes of Noah Loomis, Jonathan Sholey and Matt Loeffler to lead the Bulldogs. Sophomore goal keeper Jake Williams has be solid in preseason workouts.
The boys’ team got 27 players out for the team.
On the girls’ side, Butte High returns captains Natalee Faupel and Emily Cleverly and goal keeper Taylor Lovell.
Butte High will have to absorb the loss of Ashley Todd, who played at the Shodair Classic this summer. Coach Cleverly will try to do that with numbers.
Butte High had 34 go out for soccer this year.
The Bulldog teams head to Great Falls to take on CMR Saturday.
Click below for Butte High’s season schedules.
