BILLINGS — The rookies helped usher out the veterans in style.
Freshman Emerson Dull scored two goals and freshman keeper Lorelai Hutzenbiler had clutch saves both early and late as Billings Central regained the Class A state soccer crown via a 2-1 win over rival Laurel on Saturday at Amend Park.
The victory was history in the making for the Rams, who recorded their 11th state championship overall — one more than the Whitefish boys, who earlier in the day on the same pitch saw their quest for 11 denied by Billings Central.
It also marked the second time that the Central boys and girls have claimed state titles on the same day. The programs also accomplished the feat in 2009.
When all was said and done Saturday, Maddie Tracy, one of three senior captains along with Ava Yates and Bailee Roesch, was the first to lift the first-place trophy to the glee of her teammates and fans.
“We all make each other better, and I couldn’t thank (my teammates) enough to helping me become a better player and just making this season the best,” said Dull, who scored her team-leading 17th and 18th goals. “It’s going to be hard to beat, but I’m just a freshman, so … ”
Dull trailed off at that point, maybe realizing in real time that there could be better things in store the next three years.
The Rams finished the season without a loss at 13-0-2, so maybe she’s right. That will be tough to beat.
Laurel has been Central’s top opponent all season. The Locomotives (11-1-4) hadn’t lost until Saturday and had played the Rams to 0-0 and 2-2 draws in the regular season.
The Locos were on their front foot nearly all match, with Darby Boehler being a constant threat. The Laurel forward, who had 24 goals going into the match, tested Hutzenbiler early and often, and got one past the Central keeper just before the halftime whistle to even things up at 1-1.
Dull had given the Rams a 1-0 lead after she and Laurel keeper Raelynn Wagner got tangled up in the 18-yard box. Dull was able to toe poke the ball and it slowly rolled toward the net. Just as it got there, a Laurel defender, trying to clear the ball off the line from an impossible angle, slammed the ball into the side netting of the goal.
Dull’s second goal came when she buried a penalty kick with just over 20 minutes to go after she was dragged down in the box by a Laurel defender.
Boehler fired one last, best chance at Hutzenbiler, but the Central keeper made a diving stop at about the 16-minute mark.
From there time moved slowly, at least for first-year Central coach John Krebs.
“The last 10 minutes of that game, that’s the most stressed I’ve been,” said Krebs, who labeled Hutzenbiler his team’s MVP of the match. “We kind of got sucked into not playing the way that we’ve played all year.
“Our game all year has been the possession game, and for whatever reason, we decided that we were going to try to play balls over the top. That’s not our style. So we were behind the eight-ball the entire game.
But style points don’t win games, goals do. And Central’s three seniors leave the program having reached three championship matches, winning it all in 2022 and 2024.
“We’ve been working for this all season, and just to lift that trophy and see all the hard work pay off, it’s wonderful,” Tracy said. “I think the pressure helps us play our best, to know that the expectation of Central soccer is high.
“The championships — we’ve had 10, and now to get our 11th — the pressure is there, and so to come out on top, it’s just rewarding. I mean, that’s the best way to end. That’s how everyone wants to end their senior year, with the championship.”
