Historic Run by Lady Knights of Hellgate High School Ends at State Championship Game
The Hellgate Knights girls soccer team has made history, reaching the AA State title game for the first time in the school's history. However, their journey came to an end as they faced Bozeman High School, who emerged victorious with a score of 2-0.
Senior forward Carmen Anderson, an honorary All-State, All-Conference, and Honorable Mention player, led the Knights throughout the season. Anderson commented on the achievement, stating, "It's a significant milestone for Hellgate girls soccer. We've worked hard and it's great to see our efforts pay off."
The game was a closely contested affair, with Maya Bossenbrook, a junior from Bozeman High School, scoring both goals. The first goal came in the 8th minute, with the second following in the 45th minute, just before half-time. Macey Primrose assisted in the first goal.
Despite the loss, the Knights have much to be proud of. Since 2020, they have reached three semifinal berths, back-to-back Western AA Conference Championships, three straight city championships, and the first state berth in program history. They also scored more goals and had more assists than their 2022 lineup, finishing the season with 64 goals and 54 assists.
As the 2023-24 fall sports campaign comes to a close with the state Championship game and the Western AA Volleyball Divisional tournament, the Knights will graduate seven seniors from their team. Winter sports at Hellgate will begin in early December, with the boys and the girls basketball teams opening the season against Billings Skyview on Dec. 8 in Missoula.
Interestingly, this is the sixth time Bozeman has emerged as State champions in the past 20 years. For Hellgate, this is the first time a ladies team has advanced this far, marking a new chapter in the school's sports history.
For those interested in the Knights' historical performance in 2023, further details such as individual player statistics and state championship game results may be found in local high school sports archives, the school's athletic department records, or dedicated regional sports news outlets. Bozeman High School, on the other hand, has won the State championship for the first time since 2016.
The Hellgate Knights, even though their soccer team fell short in the AA State title game, have shown remarkable progress. In the upcoming season, American Football and the new NCAA Football might offer a different platform for the Knights to make history. For instance, the Knights' quarterback, Alex Walters, has been showing promise and might shift the team's fortunes in those sports.
