On Tuesday afternoon, the Butte High boys’ varsity soccer team, along with seven JV players, traveled to Helena to take on the Helena High Bengals in temperatures hovering around 94 degrees. Proving to be the same kind of fight as the last few years, both teams worked hard for the win with the Bulldogs coming out on top 4 – 3.

Helena High started the game fast and hard while Butte seemed to be flat footed. A minute into the game it looked like the Bengals would rule the field when they scored their first goal. Finally, after about 10 minutes of back and forth between the teams, Bulldog Zane Fredlund took a free kick from near the half line and Boyd Dewitt headed the ball in the air to tie the score. Helena High answered with speed and caught the Bulldogs off guard two more times leaving the teams heading into half time with the Bulldogs down 1 – 3.

During the break the Butte High coaches challenged the boys to be patient and stick with the game plan of good communication and effective passing. When the Bulldogs returned they had a much more offensive and attacking mindset. Jack Luoma assisted left footer, James Hadley, on his first high school goal. A few minutes later Luoma stole the ball from a Bengal defender and ripped a shot past their goalkeeper. By six minutes into the second half, the boys from Butte had tied the score 3 – 3.

With less than one minute remaining in the game, it looked like the teams would have to accept the tie, the Bulldogs had other plans. Goalkeeper, Joe Schrader, sent a long ball deep and Dewitt slightly re-directed it to Luoma who dribbled and shot past the Bengal goalkeeper for the win.

After the end of the game, Coach Cody Carpenter told the team, “In all my years of coaching various sports, I think that this comeback win was the greatest display of determination, courage and grit that I have ever witnessed. To win in the heat with only JV players as subs was an impressive feat.”

The Bulldog Boys will welcome Helena Capital to their home turf on Thursday, game starts at 3:00.