After clenching a 4-0 shutout against the Whitefish Bulldogs on Saturday evening, the Polson Pirates are celebrating the first state championship in the program’s history. Head coach Josie Lies has watched the high school boys soccer team come a long way, having coached many of the boys since 5th grade.

“This has been the goal the whole way,” Lies said, choking up. “It’s been really exciting to go from taking them from never winning a game to have the confidence to do what they did to Whitefish, of all teams.”

Lies attributed winning an earlier game against Livingston as giving the Pirates the boost they needed entering the playoffs. With eight seniors and seven juniors on the team, “if there was a year to do it, this was the year,” Lies said.

The boys’ first goal came from junior midfi

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