Glacier boys upset Hellgate in shootout

MISSOULA - Back to state.

Glacier knocked off Missoula Hellgate in a shootout on Thursday, winning a Western AA boys soccer playoff match 1-0.

Glacier (4-8-1) advances to the Class AA state tournament for the second-straight season. The Wolfpack will face Billings Senior at 2:30 p.m. next Thursday in Great Falls.

"It was incredible," Glacier coach Ryan O'Rourke said.

"The Glacier guys played an incredible game. I saw more intensity and tenacity today than I've seen in any team I have coached."

Both teams battled to a scoreless tie in regulation and through two 10-minute overtime periods.

"Hellgate's defense was very stiff," O'Rourke said.

"We didn't have that many looks. It was a hard-fought match on both sides of the ball."

Hellgate (6-5-2) had eight shots on goal to Glacier's one.

O'Rourke said keeper Sean Peters "had an amazing game in overtime. He had some critical saves in the shootout."

Neither team scored on their first attempt in the shootout.

Tanner Maroney then scored for Glacier, which went first, on the second attempt, while Peters "had a great save," for a 1-0 Wolfpack advantage.

O'Rourke said Matt Peters "came up and buried it," on Glacier's third attempt. Hellgate responded to trail 2-1.

Glacier did not score on its fourth attempt, but Hellgate did to tie it at 2-2 and set up a dramatic finish.

"Josiah Bumgarner stepped up and put it in the back of the net and Peters saved a shot," O'Rourke said.

That gave the Wolfpack the victory.

Hellgate had beaten Glacier 4-0 and 1-0 earlier in the season.

"It's not easy (to win a road playoff match)," O'Rourke said.

"Especially when you are the sixth seed and they are the third."

Glacier 0 0 0 1 - 1

Missoula Hellgate 0 0 0 - 0

GLACIER - Matt Peters, Tanner Maroney, Josiah Bumgarner

HELLGATE - NA

Shots on goal - Glacier 1, Hellgate 8; Corner kick - Glacier 1, Hellgate 5; Goalie saves - Glacier 8 (Sean Peters), Hellgate 1 (Lucas Wittkopp); Fouls - Glacier 13, Hellgate 8; Cards - None.