(Editor's note: This article will be updated with more matchups from the State AA soccer tournaments)
In a pair of State AA Soccer 2W vs. 3E matchups, both games needed all the time they could before sending the Helena High girls and the Billings Senior boys to the next round of the playoffs.
2W) Helena High 4, 3E) Bozeman 3 in PK's
After battling to a 2-2 draw through regulation, Helena High's Elli Wilson beat Bozeman's keeper to give the Bengals a slight edge. Though down, the Bozeman Hawks were not out after Ursula Vlases slung a pass up to Macey Primrose who knotted things up one final time at 3-3 through both extra periods, sending the match into a best-of-five penalty kick shootout.
The Hawks went 3-5 from the mark, giving the Bengals' Avery Kraft a chance to ice the match, an opportunity she did not pass up by beating Bozeman's Karly Jordan up the middle to send the Bengals to the semi-final round against the Bozeman-Gallatin Raptors.
3E) Billings Senior 5, 2W) Helena Capital 3 in PK's
After knotting the match up 1-1 in the second half on a rebound shot from Liam McAdams, Helena Capital's Trey Moseman had a chance to give the Bruins an edge near the end of regulation, but Senior's goalkeeper Tyson Boller snuffed out the attempt. The Bruins and the Broncs ended both regulation and extra time at a 1-1 draw, sending the second playoff soccer match in Helena to a penalty kick shootout.
On the fourth attempt by the Bruins, Boller made another impeccable save for the Broncs against Nathaniel Wilcox, setting up his teammate Kaleb Thompson to end the match immediately after beating Capital's keeper Dane Quinn to end it at 5-3 for the Senior Broncs.
The Broncs will now move into the semi-final round of the State AA playoffs and face the winner of 1E) Bozeman and 4W) Sentinel.
1E) Bozeman 4, 4W) Missoula Sentinel 0
In heavy sleet both the Bozeman Hawks and Sentinel Spartans had their fair share of offensive opportunities in the first half that were either stifled due to an offsides penalty or brilliant goal keeper play.
In the second half with snowfall beginning, Bozeman's Aidan Roos broke the scoring drought within five minutes. From there, Bozeman cruised pouring in four goals in the second half to advance to the semifinals facing against the 3E) Billings Senior Tuesday, Oct. 25.
