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It's not as intense as the World Cup, but the little soccer players of Sanders County showed much of the same competitive spirit - even when no score was being kept.

Nine teams of the Clark Fork Soccer Alliance from U6 to U10 from Plains and Hot Springs faced off each other at Amundson Sports Complex at Plains Saturday morning. Only the U10 teams officially kept score, though some coaches and parents of the younger players kept track, said Ashley DePoe, coach for the Hot Springs Lil' Heat U8 team. 

DePoe's U8 Hot Springs team, sponsored by UFFDA and Bangen Fencing, took on the Plains Green Dragons, sponsored by Dennehy & Jerde Orthodontics and coached by Anna Boon. The U8 teams have four players on the field at a time and no keeper while the older teams have eight on the field, including a keeper. DePoe said the kids don't care about the score, but they are competitive. Nevertheless, Plains made the first four points before Hot Springs scored, complements of Cooper Salmi of Lil' Heat. DePoe said the kids are doing well and quickly learning the basics. She added there is very little teamwork at this level on the field, but they are actively attacking the ball. "They all go after the ball the same time. They look like a flock of birds, just bunching together," said DePoe. However, she said they're having fun, which is most important.

Plains had a 7-2 lead at the end of the first half and eventually took the game. Hot Springs won the previous week.

In the U10 action, Lil' Heat started out with scoring twice in the first half. Plains scored soon the second half, but Hot Springs came right back with another goal and finished the game with a 3-1 victory. Lil' Heat was scheduled to play a second game, but it was canceled. Coaching Saturday's Hot Springs team was Crystal Graham. The team's sponsor is also UFFDA and Bangen Fencing.

Sam Carter coached the Plains players, sponsored by Taylor Home Services, but the kids have yet to select a team name. Plains keepers included Brook Revier and Saydi Carter, Sam's daughter. Both had a lot of good saves, said Carter, who has coached U6, U8 and U10 soccer for the last three years.  

Graham said she was proud of her kids' performance on the field and has only has eight players, which leaves only one substitute. She also noted the quality of her keepers, Traylyn Peone and Jordan White, for stopping several would-be goals by Plains. They lost the previous week at Plains to a Thompson Falls team. She said they've had reduced practices due to air quality. Graham's team takes on Thompson Falls at Thompson Falls Saturday at 10 a.m.

Carter said that even though the kids lost, he was pleased the way they handled themselves on the field. Because of the poor air quality, they too have had only had two practices. They tied last week 6-6 against another Plains team. They play in Thompson Falls Saturday at 11:30 a.m. 

Ed Moreth

CLOSE CALL – Hot Springs Lil' Heat Hoyt Bangen tries to put one past Plains keeper Brook Revier in a U10 game at Amundson Sports Complex at Plains, but Revier stops the shot. Behind Bangen is Uriah Lowther.

DePoe's Lil' Heat played a second game Saturday, claiming an unofficial win against Sakoya LaDeaux's Plains team, which has no team name yet, but is sponsored by First Security Bank. Her team hasn't had any practices, but they have played two games. She is assisted by Sean McCarthy, who served as a referee for the game against Hot Springs. McCarthy said Hot Springs won 15-5.

The final game of the day involved two Plains U6 teams - The Green Machine, coached by Aaron Gardner and Ashley Jelich and sponsored by Action Mining Services, and the Lions, Tigers and Turtles, coached by Danielle Paquet and sponsored by Plains Physical Therapy. The U6 kids weren't the traditional soccer players, with some just walking off the field, often kicking the ball the wrong direction and playing way out of bounds. One boy got tangled up in the goalie netting.

Several of the U6-U10 Plains, Thompson Falls and Hot Springs teams face each other at Plains on October 1 and for the final competition on October 15 at Plains.