By Paul Lecker
For focusonmarshfield.com
MARSHFIELD – Ninety minutes of regulation and 20 minutes of overtime wasn’t enough to decide a winner in Thursday’s WIAA Division 4 boys soccer sectional semifinal between Marshfield Columbus Catholic and Arcadia, so it was settled with a shootout.
After a scoreless regulation and overtime period, the first round of five players taking shots for each team ended deadlocked 3-3. Another round began as daylight diminished, and this time Arcadia was able to outdo the Dons 3-2 to take the match at Griese Park.
Columbus Catholic’s season ends with a 15-4-2 record and includes its sixth-straight trip to sectionals and three consecutive conference championships.
Arcadia (7-6-5) moves on to a Division 4 sectional final against Amery (16-0-4) at 1 p.m. Saturday at Cumberland with the winner moving on to next week’s state tournament. Amery beat Northland Pines 4-1 on Thursday.
“These seniors won three conference championships and four regional championships, and these kids really invested a lot,” Columbus Catholic Jeff Edwards said. “This whole senior class, they’re all good kids. I hate to see them hurting like this. It’s tough to watch.”
During the first round of the shootout, the Dons had two chances to win the game. Evan Dieringer, Nadim Torbey and Dylan Porter scored before Zach Olson’s shot – the fifth in the shootout for Columbus – was saved by Arcadia’s goalkeeper.
The Raiders’ final shooter then slipped one past Columbus goalkeeper Kellen Heinzen to send it to a second shootout round.
Kellen Delaney led off with a successful shot before the Dons missed on three-straight attempts. Heinzen hit on the Dons’ last attempt, but couldn’t stop Arcadia’s final shot, sending the Raiders off into a wild celebration.
Columbus, which had 16 goals in its first two playoff games, failed to get many quality shots at all against the Raiders.
“They (Arcadia) had four in the back at all times, and they didn’t need anyone to push up and help offensively because their midfielders were controlling the pace,” Edwards said. “Our only chances for scoring opportunities were counter attacks, free kicks and corners, which didn’t happen very often.”
The Dons were able to stay in the game with a staunch defensive effort. Arcadia controlled the ball on its half of the field for much of the contest, outshooting Columbus 25-15 overall and 17-9 on goal.
Tom Nystrom, Addison Baierl, Annika Brown, Noah Taylor, Porter and John Garneau fended off attack after attack by a quick Arcadia offense, and when the Raiders did get a shot off, Heinzen was equally impressive in goal, saving 17 shots.
“This game would have been over way earlier if our defense didn’t play the way it did,” Edwards said. “They held them scoreless and they pummeled us with shots. We just played great in the back and were lucky to get to a shootout.”
Raiders 0, Dons 0 (OT)
Arcadia 0 0 0 – 0
Columbus Catholic 0 0 0 – 0
No scoring in regulation or overtime.
Shootout
Arcadia: 10/Y, 5/N, 13/Y, 17/N, 24/Y, 14/Y, 27/N, 12/N, 11/Y, 9/Y. (Note: Arcadia roster unavailable).
Columbus Catholic: Evan Dieringer/Y, Tom Nystrom/N, Nadim Torbey/Y, Dylan Porter/Y, Zach Olson/N, Kellen Delaney/Y, Annika Brown/N, Addison Baierl/N, Anna Roewe/N, Kellen Heinzen/Y.
Total shots: Arcadia 25; Columbus Catholic 15.
Shots on goal: A 17; CC 9.
Corner kicks: A 6, CC 6.
Saves: CC, Heinzen 17.
Records: Arcadia 7-6-5; Columbus Catholic 15-4-2.
Paul Lecker is publisher of MarshfieldAreaSports.com and a contributor to focusonmarshfield.com.
Author: News Desk
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