The waiting and wondering when it will happen is finally over for the Glacier boys soccer program.

The Wolfpack (8-5-0) blanked Missoula Big Sky (2-8-3) on Thursday in a Western AA play-in game at Glacier to earn its first state tournament berth in school history.

Brad Holmgren, Ron Howell and Bart Tobiason all scored a goal as Glacier claimed a 3-0 victory over the Eagles.

"It's our first trip to state," a pleased Glacier coach Ryan O'Rourke said.

"So we're very excited about that."

Glacier has lost play-in games the last two years.

"We had a bad playoff game last year when we played (at) Capital," O'Rourke said of what helped motivate the team.

"The entire team wanted to represent themselves very well today and they did. They did a great job."

Holmgren took some of the pressure off for Glacier when he scored just 2 minutes, 44 seconds into play.

Ron Howell made it 2-0 Glacier with a goal that was misplayed by Big Sky's goalie at 32 minutes.

That's where the score stood at halftime.

"They say a 2-0 lead is the most dangerous lead in soccer," O'Rourke said.

And the coach reminded his players that Big Sky led Glacier 2-0 in an earlier meeting this season. Glacier wound up winning that matchup 3-2. The Wolfpack also won the other meeting 2-1.

"I told them we weren't done yet," O'Rourke said at halftime.

The Wolfpack responded with an insurance goal less than seven minutes into second-half action. Tobiason scored on a header off a long, perfect throw-in from Josiah Bumgarner.

"He can really wing it," O'Rourke said of Bumgarner's throw-in.

Glacier finished with 12 shots on goal and held Big Sky to seven.

Corner kicks favored Glacier 5-1.

Glacier keeper Sean Peters had five saves.

"That's been the story for us the entire season," O'Rourke said of having different players scoring.

"I think it makes us more dangerous because you can't mark just one player."

State play begins Thursday in Helena. The Wolfpack's opponent will not be decided until all play-in games have been completed.

Missoula Big Sky 0 0 - 0

Glacier 2 1 - 3

GLACIER - Brad Holmgren (Josiah Bumgarner), 2:44; Ron Howell (Jake Lockwood), 32:00; Bart Tobiason (Bumgarner), 46:45

Shots on goal - Big Sky 7, Glacier 12

Corner kicks - Big Sky 1, Glacier 5

Goalie saves - Big Sky 3 (Nate Goodburn), Glacier 5 (Sean Peters)

Fouls - Big Sky 9, Glacier 18

Cards - None