With a goal in the 75th minute, Western Christian forced overtime against Iowa City Regina and went on to defeat the Regals on penalty kicks in the Class 1A Boys Soccer state semi-final Thursday.
Regina got on the board in the 18th minute on a long shot off the post by Jack Hoover from outside the penalty box. The score remained that way until Aiden Ouwinga’s header off of a Miles Baccam corner kick tied the game with 4:30 left in regulation. Following two scoreless overtimes, the game went to penalty kicks.
Western went first in the PKs and after missing high on its first shot, Baccam and Ouwinga made the next two for the Wolfpack before Regina missed for the first time on a save by JD Pettit. Uchan Harberts and Laramie Schreurs knocked in kicks four and five for Western, but Regina was able to answer both times forcing sudden death penalty kicks.
The teams continued to trade goals until Pettit saved another shot on the 10th Regal PK to give the Wolfpack a 2-1 win and propel them into the state championship game for the third straight year. In the sudden death, Kalen Hartbecke, Noah Hilbrands, Kolby Heemskerk, Teague VerVelde and Barret Bleeker all connected for Western. In all, Western outshot Regina 9-8 in the penalty kick phase.
The Regals ended the year 18-5. The 4th ranked Wolfpack improved to 14-2 and will play top ranked Gladbrook-Reinbeck for the 1A state championship Saturday morning at 10:00am at Cownie Soccer Park in Des Moines. Gladbrook-Reinbeck also needed penalty kicks to advance, beating #3 Des Moines Christian 3-2 after winning 4-2 on penalty kicks.
Western will seek their first state soccer championship after losing in the final match to Burlington Notre Dame 4-1 in 2021 and to Davenport Assumption 2-1 after penalty kicks last season.
