(Des Moines, IA) — West Central Valley gave top seeded Iowa City Regina everything they can handle but the Regals pulled out a 1-0 win in penalty kicks to advance to the Class 1A boys soccer state title game on Friday.
The Wildcats played Regina to a scoreless tie in regulation — Goalkeeper Mason Fortney turned away multiple scoring chances by the Regals with 10 saves.
The best scoring chance came in the 2nd overtime by Regina when their leading scorer Laird Holden hit the cross bar; the rebound came back to Connor Hoffman who fired point blank but Fortney made the save. Later in the 2nd OT, Holden made a move towards the box and slipped a low shot towards the left side but Fortney made a diving save to finish with 12 saves.
After a 0-0 tie through two overtimes, the game went to penalty kicks. Regina’s leading scorer Holden went first but Fortney denied him middle right. Gabe Gerling scored for WCV on the right side to make it 1-0. Ethan Beard got the Regals on the board with a left foot shot to the back right and Regina’s back up keeper denited David Pruitt on the left side — it was tied 1-1.
Both teams scored in the third round — Drew Greve for Regina and Luis Huerta for the Wildcats. Both teams scored again in the 4th round with Evan White for Regina on the left side and Trajan Rummel for West Central to the upper right mid and it was tied 4-4.
In the fifth round, Hoffman for Regina tried the left corner but Fortney guessed right for a save. Aiden Clausen could have won it for the Wildcats but his shot hit the cross bar.
The game went to sudden death and both teams scored in the 6th round — Kevyn Dominquez for Regina up the middle and Aiden Brandon for the WCV with a hard shot on the right side.
In the 7th round, Jackson Kopecky for Regina fired one up the gut for another goal but Garet Wolfe for the Wildcats was denied on the left side and Regina clinched the win.
West Central Valley ends the best season in school history at 15-2-1; Regina goes to 20-0-1 and advances to the 1A finals on Friday.
Boys Soccer Scoreboard
Class 1A
#1 Iowa City Regina 1, #4 West Central Valley 0 (5-4 PK)
Box Score: 1A-SF1-Regina-WestCentralValley-6.4.26
