Champs again

The Daily Inter Lake

WHITEFISH - Reaching 30 never felt so good.

The Whitefish High School boys' soccer team edged Libby, 3-1, on Saturday to capture its second straight Class A state championship and undefeated season.

The Bulldogs won their 30th consecutive match, becoming the first Class A soccer program to post back-to-back titles as well as perfect seasons.

"We set our goal - 30 games - and won them all," Whitefish defender Tyler Gardner said. "We pulled it out. Now all we've got to do is celebrate."

The Bulldogs won last year's championship in Hamilton, rendering Saturday's home festivities particularly special.

"Every practice we've had this year, I've talked about how the wins are great, but the games are what we use in preparation for this very game," Bulldogs coach O'Brien Byrd said. "We're not preparing for a quarterfinal. We're not preparing for a semifinal. We're preparing to win a state championship, so to have that satisfaction that we were prepared enough - we proved it to ourselves.

"We are the best in the state - undisputed - and we proved it today. We deserve this medal."

The Lady Bulldogs fell just short of their bid for a second consecutive state title, falling 2-1 at Belgrade.