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Western Christian outlasts Iowa City Regina in 10-round boys’ state soccer semifinal shootout
Wolfpack advance to third consecutive Class 1A title game, 2-1 (9-8 PK)
DES MOINES — A traditional power was back at the boys’ state soccer tournament after a rare year off, in position for a ninth Saturday championship game. A recent arrival was not willing to vacate its spot.
Fourth-ranked Western Christian tied the score with 4:30 remaining against No. 2 Iowa City Regina, then outlasted the Regals, 9-8, in a 10-round penalty shootout to advance to the Class 1A title game for the third consecutive year with a 2-1 win.
“We’re really resilient,” Western Christian goalkeeper JD Petitt said, minutes after stopping a PK that sealed the semifinal win Thursday at Cownie Soccer Park.
“I’ve never gone this long (in a shootout),” said Regina Coach Rick Larew, who had otherwise just about seen it all in 15 state tournaments.
For a long time Thursday, it seemed like the Regals (18-5) would get a chance to continue improving on their 8-for-8 mark in state championship game appearances.
Jack Hoover worked a precise give-and-go with Laird Holden and scored off the post with 22 minutes left in the first half, his third goal of the tournament.
“I would say they’re definitely the best team we’ve played this season,” Petitt said. “They’re very possessive, which is something we haven’t always seen.”
Good chances didn’t come often on either side, but Western continued pushing.
In the 75th minute, defender Aidan Ouwinga heard the call from the sideline to push up for a corner kick. Miles Baccam floated the ball to the back post, where Ouwinga was sprinting to head in the leveler.
“I knew I could jump pretty high, so I was like, ‘I’ve got to do this,’” Ouwinga said. “We had to work hard anyway, it’s gonna come right now.”
Two 10-minute overtime periods settled nothing. Despite Davenport Assumption claiming last year’s 1A title in a shootout, Western Christian remained confident.
“We’re just thinking we’ve been here before,” Ouwinga said. “Take a deep breath and bury it.”
Petitt made a save to cancel out an initial Wolfpack miss.
Regina’s Dylan Vittetoe got a hand to Ouwinga’s and three other Wolfpack attempts. The ball crept over the line each time.
“So close, right? So close,” Larew said.
Western Christian will again seek its first state title Saturday at 10 a.m. against top-ranked Grundy Center/Gladbrook-Reinbeck (20-0) — itself a semifinal shootout winner over Des Moines Christian.
“Credit to them, they stuck right in there,” Larew said. “We were hoping to tire them out, but we didn’t achieve that. I think we may have been as tired as they were. They played well. They’re competitive kids, they’re athletes and it was a good team to play against.
“Nice kids. Coach (Sou Baccam) is a nice guy. They deserved to win.”
Comments: nathan.ford@thegazette.com
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