SHAKOPEE — The Byron girls soccer team has been denied. Again.

For the third straight year, the Bears fell in the Class 2A girls state soccer tournament quarterfinals, And for the second straight year it came in sudden-death overtime.

Byron, which entered its game with No. 6 seed Becker unbeaten (19-0-0) and ranked fourth in the state, gave up a goal midway through the first overtime. One year ago, it was Mankato East that beat Byron in overtime in the state quarterfinals.

"We talked to the girls about it afterward, and it's a life thing," Byron coach Jeremy Baumbach said. "We didn't win on the scoreboard but the season we had and the memories we generated were irreplaceable. It does sting to not get to the next stage of the state tournament. But it was a special season."

Getting the deciding goal for the Bulldogs was none other than their team's scoring sensation, Adele Changamire. Incredibly, it was the Becker sophomore's 66th goal this season. Notching their other score was her sister, Andersyn Changamire. That was her 29th goal this year.

Byron entered the game as one of the top defensive teams in the state. It had allowed just six goals all year, led by some stout defenders and a budding star in goalie Caylee Boynton.

Through the first half, that Byron defense was true to its normal self. Neither side was able to muster a score in the opening 40 minutes. That was despite these being a pair of prolific scoring teams. Byron was averaging 4.9 goals per game, Becker a rollicking 6.7.

It was Byron that scored first. That happened midway through the second half when Byron sent a ball drifting towards Becker's end with a hard kick and then chased after it. It was Raegen Kelm who caught up to it and ultimately smacked the ball past Becker goalie Juliana Stach on the breakaway.

But Byron's joy didn't last more than 30 seconds. That's because Becker immediately answered that goal with one of its one. Thirty seconds after Kelm penetrated the Becker net, Andersyn Changamire did the same, firing a shot past Byron goalie Boynton.

"Getting on the scoreboard first was huge, but then giving up a goal 30 seconds later was tough," Baumbach said. "That was hard to swallow."

Byron outplayed the Bulldogs statistically. It finished with 20 shots on goal, compared to 11 for Becker. It also had seven corner kicks while Becker had three.

With 7 minutes left in regulation, the Bears had a golden opportunity to retake the lead. But senior Lilah Kurk's shot, which angled beautifully from the left to the far right portion of the Becker goal, hit the post.

That is a shot that will stick with Baumbach and his players likely for a lifetime. It was that close to going in.

"It is a game of inches," Baumbach said. "And we squandered some chances."

Both teams exhausted themselves in what was a hard-charging and physical game. A handful of Byron player intermittently left the contest to be treated for cramps.

Baumbach loved the effort he got from his players.

"Our kids played hard," he said. "We had kids sitting out with cramping. But I thought (Becker) played well and I thought we played well. It was just another one of those games where two quality teams are going at it"

Byron's talent-laden team will look different next season. The Bears graduate nine players. That includes All-State defender Ashlyn Kelm, All-State midfielder Leah Ellavsky and All-State forward Alyse Ayen. Ayen finished her season with 17 goals and 10 assists.

"We've got some pretty big shoes to fill," Baumbach said. "We graduate an All-State player at all three levels (defense, midfield and forward)."

Still, under Baumbach, Byron has a way of coming up with stellar teams year after year, no matter how many graduate. A season ago the Bears lost 12 players to graduation and then spent until these state quarterfinals unbeaten.

It was a memorable season and arguably the best one in Byron history. The Bears simply ran into another excellent team to end their year.

"I think it was just another one of those years where two quality teams are going at it and it comes down to a single goal," Baumbach said.

Becker 2, Byron 1 OT
Becker #0#1#1#—2
Byron #0#1#0#—1
Becker: Andersyn Changamire 1 goal; Adele Changamire. Goalie: Juliana Stach 9 saves.
Byron: Raegan Kelm 1 goal. Goalie: Caylee Boynton 5 saves.