BILLINGS — The G2010 Gold Real Billings FC girls soccer team made history last week by becoming the first team from Montana to win regionals, earning a trip to the national tournament in Florida.
The team, which is made up of five area schools (Lockwood, Central, Senior, Skyview and West), won five matches in six days at the U.S. Youth Soccer Far West Regional in Boise, Idaho, including a 1-0 victory over Alaska in the championship.
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While the team found itself at the top of the pile at the end of the week, coaches and athletes admitted they were a little skeptical about their chances before the kickoff of the first game.
"Nobody really expects Montana to be good at soccer," said West High sophomore Maddy Hutzenbiler.
"I didn't think we were going to get that far, really," added Senior High freshman Ember Heyeman-Bdu. "No Montana team has ever won this."
Coach Kevin Luse said that he believed in his team, which has had success at other tournaments throughout the years, but he also thought reaching the championship game would be out of reach.
"I probably didn't see us moving onto the final," Luse said. "But then again, this team just finds a way to win. Once we started playing and once we started getting results, the expectations started to grow."
Those expectations hit their peak after the second game of the tournament, when the Billings team dismantled Southern California — a team that typically gives Montana teams fits.
"I think game two was when I realized 'Wow, we're here to play,'" Heyeman-Bdu said.
Two more wins followed and the team found themselves in the championship with Alaska, a fellow underdog on the soccer scene.
"It was honestly unheard of," Hutzenbiler said. "No one ever expects Montana and Alaska to be in it.”
Luse admitted that he was anxious heading into the final game.
“It was kind of surreal," Luse said. "I don’t think I slept the night before.”
Despite sleep deprivation, the team delivered, winning its fifth straight game and earning a trip to Florida. The moment was emotional for the players and coach.
“Everyone was like hugging and cheering,” Hutzenbiler said.
"It just all hit me afterwards, and all the girls came and hugged me after the game," Heyeman-Bdu said. "And I was like, 'Oh my gosh, we just did that.'"
With the tournament victory, the team will travel to Orlando, Fla. in July for nationals. While the tournament is wasn't originally in the team's plans this season, it's an opportunity that is too good to pass up.
"Just having that experience itself, like going out to Florida is going to be amazing,” Heyeman-Bdu said.
In an effort to help ease the financial burden, the team has organized a fundraiser to help pay for travel and hotel during the trip.
Luse said that the support from the Billings community has already been encouraging.
“Billings has a huge soccer community, and I think they’ll really rally behind this team,” Luse said.
All good news for this team — which looks to continue turning heads on the national stage, while having a little fun.
“I think it’ll be great," Hutzenbiler said. "Even if it’s in Florida, it’ll be like a little mini vacation too."
