BOZEMAN — Bozeman put the finishing touches on an undefeated boys soccer season Tuesday, clipping Billings West 1-0 in the Class AA state championship.
The Hawks, the No. 1 seed out of the Eastern AA, scored the game's lone goal in the 29th minute of the first half. The ball found the foot of Bryce Lenneman off a deflection, and the senior put it through — scoring only his second goal of the season — to give Bozeman the only advantage it would need.
Bozeman's defense was its calling card all season, as the Hawks allowed an Eastern AA-best 11 goals in the regular season. They continued their strong play Tuesday, shutting out the Golden Bears for the third time this season. Bozeman also won both regular-season head-to-head matches with West 1-0.
The Bears were playing for the title after entering the playoffs as the East's fourth seed. They defeated Great Falls in the first round and then upset Kalispell Glacier and Missoula Hellgate to advance to the program's first championship match since 2009.
Bozeman, meanwhile, was playing in its 13th state championship match, its last appearance coming in 2020. Before Tuesday, the Hawks last won the state title in 2018.
Bozeman finishes its season with a 14-0-3 record.
