State A Soccer Belgrade pulls away from Whitefish in 2nd half, wins 4-0

BELGRADE — For a half Saturday afternoon, it was a touch and go match for the Class A state boys soccer championship.

Eight minutes into the second half, however, things changed drastically.

Jared Rockwell broke the scoreless battle with a goal at 48 minutes, Jordan Schlauch followed with another three minutes later and Belgrade rolled from there for a 4-0 triumph over Whitefish.

Josiah Russell found the net at 60 minutes and Schlauch completed the scoring with a goal five minutes later.

“It was a tough one,” Whitefish coach John Lacey said.

“We held them for the first half. They got the first one and it opened up after that.”

Belgrade won its second-straight championship and finished the season 14-0-0.

Whitefish (10-4-1) was in the final for the first time since winning state in 2012.

“We had a couple (of scoring opportunities),” Lacey said.

“Certainly Belgrade had more.

“After they scored the first one, they turned it up a notch, played more aggressive on their end and had a lot of through balls. They went after it after the first one.”

Lacey said the bulk of the action in the first half was on Whitefish’s end of the pitch. He said Belgrade hit the post on one shot on goal.

“I thought we could hang with them in the second half,” he said.

Still, it was a super season for the young Bulldogs.

They advanced to the trophy game with road victories over Laurel in a shootout and a 3-1 over Frenchtown.

“We feel great about it,” Lacey said of the season.

“We started seven freshmen/sophomores.

“We’ll be back,” he continued.

“We have plenty of playoff soccer ahead of us. Today is a disappointment, we put a lot into it. The better team certainly won. They have been in the state final four years in a row. That experience is invaluable. We just don’t have that yet.”

Whitefish 0 0 — 0

Belgrade 0 4 — 4

B — Jared Rockwell, 48:00

B — Jordan Schlauch, 51:00

B — Josiah Russell, 60:00

B — Jordan Schlauch, 65:00

Stats not available

Girls

Laurel 2, Billings Central 0

BILLINGS — Laurel upset two-time defending state champion Billings Central at Wendy’s Field at Rocky Mountain College to capture its first state title since 2014.

Kailyn Dawes put Laurel on top early with a goal four minutes into play. Aspen Cotter added an insurance goal at 64 minutes.

Shots on goal were limited by both teams — Billings Central (12-1-2) had five to four for Laurel (15-1-1).

Laurel 1 1 — 2

Billings Central 0 0 — 0

L — Kaitlyn Dawes, 4:00

L — Aspen Cotter (Gracey Willis), 64:00

Shots: Laurel 4, Billings Central 5. Shots on goal: Laurel 4, Billings Central 2). Saves: Laurel 2 (Paige O’Toole). Billings Central 2 (Sam Burke).