The Crookston Pirate Boys Soccer team lost a heartbreaker to the Fergus Falls Hillcrest Comets 1-0 in a game that was decided by penalty shots after no scoring through 80 minutes of regulation and 20 minutes of overtime in a Section 8A Boys Soccer tournament first round game played at Delagoon Park in Fergus Falls.
FIRST HALF –
The first half was a defensive battle, as the two teams had limited scoring opportunities in the first 40 minutes. There wasn’t a quality scoring chance in the first 28 minutes of the game. That changed with 11:17 left in the half when Hillcrest’s Zane Holmquist had a kick from about 25 yards out and Crookston goalie Reggie Winjum made a diving save. The ball rolled off to Winjum’s right, and Jack Buhler came over and kicked the ball out of play.
A little over two minutes later, Crookston had their only quality scoring opportunity as Matthew Contreras had a free kick from the top of the box and tried to get it in the left side of the net, but the ball went to the left of the net and the game was still scoreless.
Hillcrest had another chance with 5:30 remaining in the half when they had a kick from about 30 yards out, but Reggie Winjum made a leaping save. With 35 seconds left in the half, Hillcrest’s Holmquist had a shot from 25 yards out, but Winjum made the save, and the teams went into halftime with a scoreless tie.
SECOND HALF –
The second half was more of the same as the teams continued their outstanding defense. Four minutes into the half, Crookston had the ball loose in front of the net and didn’t get a kick on goal and the game remained scoreless.
Hillcrest’s Holmquist had a kick from 40 yards out on net, and Winjum made the save. Neither team had a good scoring opportunity for 12 minutes when Crookston’s Contreras had the ball in front of the net about 20 yards out and had a hard kick on goal, but Hillcrest’s William Selvig made the save. One minute later, Crookston’s Jack Everett had a free kick from 30 yards out, and Selvig made another save with 15:50 remaining. The defenses stiffened up even more in the final 15 minutes of the game and neither team scored, forcing overtime.
OVERTIME –
Overtime consists of two 10-minute sessions with a golden goal (the first goal wins). Nobody had a good scoring opportunity in the first 10 minutes, so the teams went to a second overtime session.
In the second 10 minute overtime session, neither team scored again and the game was going to be decided by penalty kicks.
PENALTY KICKS –
Five players from each team were selected for the first round of penalty kicks.
FFHC – Zane Holmquist kicked it in the left side of the net (1-0)
Crox – Matthew Contreras kicked it in the left side of the net (1-1)
FFHC – Drew Fisher – kicked it in the upper right corner of the net (2-1)
Crox – Brandon Colborn – kicked it in the left side (2-2)
FFHC – Haakon Kjaergaard – pooch kick to the left side of the net (3-2)
Crox – Jack Everett – kicked it in the left side of the net (3-3)
FFHC – E.J. Cho – kicked it in the right side (4-3)
Crox – Jack Buhler – kicked it in the left side of the net (4-4)
FFHC – William Selvig – kicked it off the fingertips of the goalie and in (5-4)
Crox – Makoti Weber – kicked it in the right side (5-5)
— — — — —
Now the penalty kick went to sudden death.
FFHC – Landon Nash – kicked it in the right side (6-5)
Crox – Reggie Winjum – kicked it in the right side (6-6)
FFHC – Kian Stender – kicked it in the left side (7-6)
Crox – Michael Bochow – Goalie made the save in the middle
Fergus Falls Hillcrest won the game 1-0.
Crookston ends the season with a 9-7 record and say goodbye to the following seniors – Conner Hanson, Michael Bochow, Brandon Colborn, Jack Everett, Matthew Contreras, Jack Buhler, Jayden Mulvey, and Lincoln Waldal,
| 1st | 2nd | OT | Final | |
| Crookston | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 |
| Hillcrest Academy | 0 | 0 | 0 | 1 |
Scoring –
No Scoring
| SAVES | 1 | 2 | Final |
| Reggie Winjum – Crookston | 8 | 8 | 16 |
| William Selvig – FFHC | 4 | 7 | 11 |
