LIBBY - Mud-splattered but undeterred, the Billings Central girls soccer team repeated as State A champions, beating Libby 4-2 in overtime Saturday afternoon.

Jackie Elliott and Holly Davison scored overtime goals as the Rams had to come from behind to win the matchup of unbeaten teams. The Rams persevered after falling behind 1-0 and 2-1 and getting Ryanne Frazier's goal with about 15 minutes left in regulation to tie things up. Central entered the championship match having allowed just one goal all season.

"We definitely got a challenge," said the Rams' Miranda Rabold, who assisted on Frazier's tying goal. "It means a lot more that we had to fight for it."

Central had to fight for a lot more than just a victory. Both teams had to deal with poor field conditions - players described it as "complete mush," and Central coach Laurie Stergar said there were four inches of mud in the center of the field - that made it difficult for players to maintain their footing.

"It was really mud-tackling out there," said Central's Elliott. "You tried to cut and you'd fall flat on your face. But we learned really quickly that we had to play the feet and not the space, and that helped us win."

Anna Valentine gave Libby (13-1-0) a 1-0 lead when she scored in the 15th minute and took that advantage into halftime.

Jessica Camp evened the score for Central shortly after the break at the 42-minute mark when she took a back pass from Elliott and scored high from about 20 yards. Libby's Chrissy Vennes responded just two minutes later, and the Loggers took a 2-1 lead.

Frazier got the Rams even again in the 65th minute. During a free kick, the Loggers placed two defenders at the post, meaning Central could put a player right in front of the goal without being offside. With Davison helping to screen Libby goalie Audra Poppen, Rabold sent the free kick to the goal, where Frazier flicked the ball with her head over the keeper for a 2-2 tie.

"It was a perfect ball from Miranda, it went right to me," said Frazier, who admitted to having "butterflies" when her team fell behind. "By the end of the game we knew, we get a second chance. We have to prove to people that this is ours and we're going to take it and we did."

The overtime indeed belonged to the Rams. Elliott scored her state-leading 23rd goal when she dribbled from about the center line down the left sideline and shot from 30 yards out. The spin on the ball helped it elude Poppen's grasp and went into the net for a 3-2 Rams lead 4ƒ minutes into the 20-minute OT. Then, with less than two minutes left in overtime, Davison scored when she headed in Rabold's corner kick, and the Rams just had to wait out the clock to celebrate their second championship and finish the season 14-0-0.

"As a senior, just to go out that way is incredible," said Camp, whose senior teammates are Maggie Powell, Austin Hanser and Hannah Olson. "To go out with the girls we play with probably means more than anything."

Hanser faced eight shots on goal and made six saves. Overall, Central out-shot Libby 19-13. Stergar said she used Kenda Laber and Kayla Lucas to mark Libby's Jaime Gilden, who entered the match with 22 goals. Gilden was held without a goal or an assist.

"We have a saying on our team that winners come from behind," said Stergar. "If you're truly a winner, you can come from behind. We just have great mental toughness as well as a big heart and we're incredibly fit."

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