AA soccer: Glacier boys, girls beat Helena Capital
Glacier scored three second-half goals to come from behind to beat visiting Helena Capital, 4-2, Friday afternoon in the regular season finale for both boys teams.
With the win, the Wolfpack secures a third place finish in Western AA and will next week host a state tournament play-in match between the winner of another play-in match featuring sixth and seventh seeds Capital (2-8-2) and Missoula Big Sky.
Glacier (6-5-1) had to erase deficits twice on Friday, falling behind 1-0 and 2-1 before scoring the day’s last three goals. Colton Becker scored twice to finish the regular season with 16 goals, easily tops in the conference.
“Not once were we nervous or concerned,” Glacier coach Ryan Billiet said. “We never got desperate in our attack. We played simple and had a lot of great opportunities and we were able to capitalize on those opportunities today.”
Conner Heil scored the winner in the 65th minute off an assist from Becker, and Brady Schultz tallied the final goal. Colin Patterson found the back of the next twice for the Bruins.
The Wolfpack finished fourth in the state last year and will be looking to build on that effort this month.
“Now’s the most exciting time of the year,” Billiet said.
“(Tournament play) changes the whole dynamic of what it’s like when we step on the field. There’s a ton of motivation to play at our best.”
Helena Capital 1 1 — 2
Glacier 1 3 — 4
C — Colin Patterson (unassisted), 29:00
G — Colton Becker (Reece Brandon), 35:00
C — Patterson (Jacob Jenson), 43:00
G — Becker (Luke Flammond), 52:00
G — Conner Heil (Becker), 65:00
G — Brady Schultz (unassisted), 72:00
Shots on goal — Capital 6, Glacier 15. Saves — Capital 11 (Al Ibsen), Glacier 4 (Ryker McIntyre). Corner kicks — Capital 0, Glacier 6. Fouls — Capital 6, Glacier 9. Cards — Yellow: Capital 1, Glacier 2.
Girls
Glacier 2, Helena Capital 1
Glacier closed the regular season with its first win of the year, getting a pair of penalty kick goals from Cadie Williams to beat Helena Capital at Glacier.
“In a no-pressure game the girls were just ready to go out and play a great game on senior day,” Wolfpack coach Brenden Byrd said. “We’re coming into our own at the right time of the season.”
Williams got the scoring started in the fifth minute, but was answered just two minutes later by the Bruins’ Brynn Walker. The winning penalty came in the 56th minute.
“It’s huge for the girls to know that they can win,” Byrd said. “Even though (the goals) were penalty kicks they were both caused by goal scoring opportunities.
“I thought Destiny Dachs played her best game of the year for us, too,” he added. “She controlled the midfield.”
Glacier (1-9-2) will travel to Missoula Hellgate on Tuesday for a state playoff play-in game.
Helena Capital 1 0 — 1
Glacier 1 1 — 2
G — Cadie Williams (penalty kick), 5:00
C — Brynn Walker (Keyara McCarthy), 7:00
G — Cadie Williams (penalty kick), 56:00
Shots on goal — Capital 13, Glacier 18. Saves — Capital 16 (Aryn Cummings), Glacier 12 (Amy Braig). Corner kicks — Capital 2, Glacier 2. Fouls — Capital 9, Glacier 7. Cards — Yellow: Glacier 1.