Belle Sjostrom’s switch to goalkeeper helps Blue Jays reach state tournament

Belle Sjostrom did not start the season expecting to be the Blue Jays’ last line of defense. The Jamestown High School midfielder, a four-year contributor, got word about 20 minutes before the Minot North match that she would move into goal, and the switch quickly became the defining adjustment in Jamestown’s late-season surge.

Sjostrom answered with seven saves in a 2-1 win over Minot North, then turned in another seven-save performance in Jamestown’s 1-0 victory over Century on May 20 at Rotary Field. That win clinched a state tournament berth for the Blue Jays, who needed only a win or draw to keep their season alive and finished with at least the No. 4 seed in the West Region standings.

The timing of Sjostrom’s move mattered because Jamestown needed steadiness during a tight postseason push. After a 1-0 win over Legacy on May 11 and a 5-0 shutout of St. Mary’s Central on May 14, the Blue Jays carried momentum into the final stretch. By the time they held off Century, Jamestown had posted seven shutouts in its previous 13 games, a run that helped carry the program back to Bismarck.

The state berth marked the 20th appearance in Jamestown girls soccer history, the fourth straight trip and the fifth in the last six seasons. Under head coach Colton Altringer, with assistants Rylee Bedard, Gaby Sarkiss and Sidney Mikes, the Blue Jays turned a midseason personnel change into a postseason strength and kept their path through the bracket intact.

Jamestown’s quarterfinal matchup was scheduled for Thursday, May 28, at 4:30 p.m. against Sheyenne at the Sanford Sports Complex in Bismarck. For a team built around players stepping into bigger roles at the right time, Sjostrom’s transition to goalkeeper became the moment that steadied the Blue Jays for another state tournament run.