The annual Shodair Soccer Classic will celebrate its 10th year at Nelson Stadium tonight, and longtime soccer fans know that from the beginning it's been a hard-fought, all-star affair.

Founder Joel Maes remembers the first men's game when the final outcome was nearly decided in a brawl.

";I just remember that at the end of the game, there was a very active scrum in front of the goal," he said. ";There was a lot of physical contact and some emotions running high."

After the West goalie was pulled down in his own box and the two groups emerged from the pile, the East squad had scored a goal to tie it up 2-2 with seconds to play. The game finished with it all notched up and the opponents nearly at each other's throats.

After the final whistle blew, the players had to step back from the game and ended up hugging and laughing over the whole incident.

";I think that moment made me realize how much the kids love the game and how hard they play," Maes said. ";The fact that it was a charity game had no impact whatsoever on the quality, intensity or level of energy they put in the game."

Tonight's battles between the East and West men and Red and White women's teams are expected to be much the same.

The women's teams will face off first at 5 p.m. before the men take to the field at 7 p.m. Both squads are made up of all-state graduates from the Montana High School Class AA and A levels.

";We were talking today about just how competitive it is," said West men's head coach Carl Straub, who is on loan from Helena High. ";It doesn't really matter the player or the position, the competitiveness really comes through."

The West squad, which features hometown players from both Helena and Capital High schools, is expected to have an abundance of offensive talent that should keep the East's defense and starting goalie Ben King of 2008 state champion Billings West on their toes.

Straub expects local players Jackson Wilkins of Capital and Haley Klarich of Helena High to be a couple of sharpshooters on offense, meanwhile he's seen incredible talent in Cameron Clevidence of Flathead and Glacier High's Jarod Rice.

";We've got guys that are going to love to score goals," Straub said. ";I've encouraged them to, when they get the chance, take a rip at the goal."

Nate Bell of Missoula Sentinel is expected to start in goal, while Helena's Chase Farrell and Sentinel's Sam Lentz and Justin Mikkola will spend much of the time on defense. Helena's Jake Staley is expected to see some time in the back.

";It will be interesting to see how they do," Straub said. ";Defensively, we're just going to have to put people back there and have them do their best."

Six of the team's 21 players are listed as having time on defense, and Straub confessed he might be introducing some forwards to the position.

East head coach Glen Wall, who coaches Capital High during the fall, said he doesn't have the same problem with balance.

";I think we're going to have a very strong midfield," he said.

Much of their midfield will be made up of Class A players from Livingston, Laurel and Corvallis.

All three of Corvallis' players -- Kyle Powers, Marshal Johnson and Forrest Hoyt -- are listed as either midfield or forward.

Wall said he doesn't see much disparity between the different classes.

";Soccer's been going since 1991 in the state of montana, and I think everybody's getting to a pretty high level," he said. ";There are players on A that could get all-state at AA."

Still, he's seen two real standouts in Billings West's King and forward Jack Pueringer.

";(Pueringer) has amazing speed, he's very smart on the ball and a great leader," Wall said. ";(King) has great size and great ability to win balls in the air."

On the women's side, the West squad has traditionally been the best, though this year the two teams had to break down because there weren't an even enough number of players from the two sides of the state.

";The girls aren't really called East and West, but the majority of our team is East," said Red head coach Laurie Stergar of Billings Central ";The West has kind of been dominant over the years, but we see that changing."

Stergar believes the matchup will be a competition between her offensive-heavy Red squad and a more defensive sound White team.

";We are a very strong attacking team. We are heavy on the attack and on the offensive midfielders," the coach said.

Touting the Gatorade Player of the Year, Lauren Hickok of AA champion Bozeman High, the Red hope to keep the White mostly in their own zone.

Hickok will be joined by a number of other players who have also signed with NCAA Division I squads (Hickok will be headed to Boise State in the fall), like former Bozeman teammate Allie Wisner and Jamie Greany out of Belgrade.

Bozeman's Jordan Simkins and Emily Schmit of Belgrade are expected to share duties at goalkeeper.

Jacie Vonada, Jen Marshall, Molly Wilkins, Carlyn Anderson and Audrey Schadt of Capital are also on the squad.

White head coach Scott Warnell, who will return to Flathead High next year, believes his team to have just the right balance to take on Red.

";We've got 18 players on the team and we're going to be able to sub pretty evenly among defense, midfield and forward and keep everyone fresh," he said.

He's even going to move around a few players to different positions, like Laura Beck of Helena High.

";She claims to play defense, but I'm not going to play here there, I'm moving her up front," he said.

Beck will be on the field with teammates Lauren Brophy, Kelli Hubley, Whitney Gerleman and Eve Book.

Lauren Costa, a Missoula Sentinel defender, won't likely be changing from her spot. A University of Montana recruit, she's expected to be an anchor in the back.

Meanwhile, Claire Chisholm of Missoula Hellgate and Nicole Hickey of C. M. Russell in Great Falls will be key on offense.

While the coaches have put their own stamp on the team's style of play, they know they don't have to worry too much about directing the talented group. Instead, they've spent the last week during practices, youth camps and Friday night's banquet marveling the incredibly gifted group they get to coach.

";When you get to coach a team of this caliber, of this talent, the best-of-the-best from the state of Montana, we're just going to watch," Stergar said.

Jeff Windmueller: 447-4065 or jeff.windmueller

@helenair.com