Butte High’s boys soccer team came as close as a team possibly can to getting a tie and still losing Thursday afternoon.

Connor Dixon headed a goal off a Kole Heppner corner kick in the match’s final second to give the Bison a 1-0 victory over Butte High at the Jeremy Bullock Complex.

Butte High head coach Eric Zahler wasn’t happy after the loss. He wasn’t too happy right before the tie-breaking goal either.

“I honestly felt we were lucky to almost come out with a tie today,” Zahler said. “That’s how much Great Falls High dominated the match.”

Butte High was pretty much on defense for the length of the 80-minute match.

“When you play a whole game on your defensive third, you’re going to give up a goal,” Zahler said. “Unfortunately for us, it happened on the last second of the game.”

Zahler said his Bulldogs, who play at Great Falls Russell Saturday, have a lot to work on.

“We weren’t fast, we didn’t communicate,” Zahler said. ” It’s not pretty right now.”

Zahler pointed to the play of senior Jonathan Sholey, junior Kenny Jense and sophomore goal keeper Jacob Williams as positives to Butte High’s play in the opener.

“The problem is we’re talking about my two center defenders and my goalie,” Zahler said. “There was no offensive transition. There’s was no great opportunities to score today.”

Butte High’s Blake Casagranda (22) looks down field with the ball as Great Falls High’s John Leonard and Butte’s Noah Johnson approach. (Bill Foley photo)