BOYS SOCCER: Glacier edged in shootout, finishes 6th at state
<p>Glacier midfielder Conner Heil jumps in a crowd of Billings Senior defenders as he attempts to head the ball during the second half Saturday at Kidsports Complex. (Aaric Bryan/Daily Inter Lake)</p>
<p>Glacier midfielder Ryan Symmes slides to steal the ball from a Billings Senior player during the second half of the fifth-place match of the Class AA Montana Soccer Championship at Kidsports Complex on Saturday. (Aaric Bryan/Daily Inter Lake)</p>
Billings Senior converted all five tries in the penalty-kick shootout and the Broncs denied Glacier a second straight win at the Class AA boys state tournament at Kidsports Complex Saturday, topping the Wolfpack 5-4 after the teams played to a 1-1 draw after 100 minutes.
Glacier (8-9-1) was denied just the third state tournament win in program history but was pleased to have been able to play through to the tournament’s final day, earning a spot by virtue of Friday’s 3-1 win over Billings West.
The Wolfpack has qualified for the eight-team state tournament in three straight seasons, doing so this year as the fourth and final team from the Western conference.
“I’m so proud,” Glacier coach Ryan Billiet said. “To be one of the last six teams playing was a proud moment for these guys. They’ve earned it and, No. 6 in the state, we feel good about that.”
Both teams were playing their third match in less than 48 hours, and this contest kicked off at 10 a.m. with a dusting of frost sprinkled across the pitch. The two sides gutted through 20 extra minutes beyond regulation time before ultimately settling things on penalties.
“It’s very difficult, not only physically but mentally just to stay sharp in there and they did,” Billiet said. “We didn’t waver. We didn’t have any lapses.”
In the shootout, Glacier keeper Andrew Lorenc looked as though he had made a stop on Senior’s second attempt, deflecting the ball away only to see it ricochet off the post back towards the middle of the net and over the goal line. Broncs keeper Kolten Unrein saved Conner Heil’s attempt in the fourth round and Jens Zimmerman calmly sank the final Senior try to secure the victory.
“You’ve got to settle the game at some point,” Billiet said. “I don’t think either team had any more legs to run anymore so it’s got to go into PKs.
“You make four out of five, you know, and our keeper got his hands on one that somehow trickled off the post and that was the difference. Inches!”
Glacier opened the scoring in the 28th minute when Rohit Tappeta wove through the defense and left a ball for Tyler Keller inside the box. The junior sent it into the back of the net and the score remained 1-0 for another 40 minutes.
Senior (12-3-2) tied the match in the 68th minute when Lorenc stopped Zimmerman but watched the rebound go right to Caleb Borgstrom, who potted the equalizer.
Lorenc made eight saves and got help from his teammates early in the second half when a pair of shots on goal were stopped by defensemen on the goal line, one headed off the line just inches before it crossed.
Unrein made seven saves for Senior.
Glacier seniors Mathew Martini, Parker Bedard, Graham Friedman, Deagan Muth, Chase Skelton and Tyler Combs all saw their prep careers come to an end, but the Wolfpack will return nine of its 11 starters next year.
Missoula Hellgate won its second straight Class AA state championship on Saturday, defeating crosstown rival Missoula Sentinel 3-2 in the title match. Cole Hage scored twice in the win for the Knights. Bozeman claimed third place with a shootout victory over Helena.
On the girls side, Bozeman dominated Helena Capital 3-0 to win its first state championship since 2012. Missoula Sentinel edged West 2-1 in the third-place match and Billings Senior topped Billings Skyview 1-0 for fifth place.
Fifth-place match
Glacier 1 0 0 0 — 1
Senior 0 1 0 0 — 1
Senior won 5-4 in shootout
GLA — Tyler Keller (Rohit Tappeta), 28:00
BSR — Caleb Borgstrom (Jens Zimmerman), 68:00
Shootout (in shooting order)
Glacier — Micah Reason (goal), Parker Bedard (goal), Brady Schultz (goal), Conner Heil (saved), Mathew Martini (goal).
Senior — Josh Greer (goal), Belina Neufeld (goal), Jason Miller (goal), Charlie Klepps (goal), Jens Zimmerman (goal).
Shots on goal — Glacier 8, Senior 11. Saves — Glacier 8 (Andrew Lorenc), Senior 7 (Kolten Unrein). Corner kicks — Glacier 4, Senior 11. Fouls — Glacier 9, Senior 14. Cards — Yellow: Senior 2.
BOYS
Championship match
Sentinel 1 1 — 2
Hellgate 1 2 — 3
HGT — Matt Baldridge (penalty kick), 24:00
SEN — Griffin Line (unassisted), 28:00
HGT — Cole Hage (unassisted), 55:00
SEN — Kevin Thomas (penalty kick), 62:00
HGT — Hage (unassisted), 63:00
Saves — Sentinel 17 (Rushton Hicks), Hellgate 5 (Justin Lane). Cards — Yellow: Sentinel 1, Hellgate 1.
Third-place match
Bozeman 0 2 0 0 — 2
Helena 1 1 0 0 — 2
Bozeman won 5-4 in shootout
HEL — Zander Mozer (Jacob Ries-Roncalli), 5:00
BOZ — Blake Palmquist (unassisted), 62:00
BOZ — Noah Metzger (unassisted), 72:00
HEL — Jackson Keller (Ries-Roncalli), 77:00
Saves — Bozeman 14 (Max Yates), Helena 13 (Josh Noem 6, Gabe Studt 7). Corner kicks — Bozeman 3, Helena 9. Cards — Yellow: Helena 1.
GIRLS
Championship match
Bozeman 2 1 — 3
Capital 0 0 — 0
BOZ — Lizzie Rich (unassisted), 15:00
BOZ — Keely Lane (Rich), 37:00
BOZ — Elaine Chandler (Rich), 46:00
Saves — Bozeman 9 (N/A), Capital 23 (N/A). Corner kicks — Bozeman 7, Capital 3. Fouls — Bozeman 2, Capital 1. Cards — None.
Third-place match
Sentinel 1 1 — 2
West 1 0 — 1
BWS — Melissa Dugger, 31:00
MSE — Piper Woodward, 36:00
MSE — Quinn Peacock, 78:00
Saves — Sentinel 5 (Bekah Joy), West 11 (Maia Wetzel).
Fifth-place match
Senior 0 1 — 1
Skyview 0 0 — 0
BSR — Maysee Whitney (Bailly Woodring), 49:00
Saves — Senior 12 (Kirby Haggerty), Skyview 14 (Summer Samsel). Corner kicks — Senior 5, Skyview 6. Fouls — Senior 10, Skyview 3. Cards — Yellow: Senior 1.