Comments from Whitewater Whippet Boys Soccer Coach John Chenoweth: 

“The Whitewater Boys Soccer team advanced to the regional championship with a victory over Jefferson Thursday night.  The boys came out with the effort and energy needed from the starting whistle.  We appeared to have control of the game for most of the first half and went up midway through the half on a goal by Juan Cuellar.  Jefferson then managed to get a point of their own before the half ended.  In a back-and-forth second half, the Whippets got ahead on a goal from Cristian Reyes to take the lead 2-1. Then the Eagles earned a penalty kick and found the back of the net to bring it back to a tie.  Both teams put together some opportunities to keep it a nail-biter until the end of regulation time leaving a 2-2 tie.  The Whippets and Eagles tied 3-3 earlier in the season, but in the playoff’s there must be a winner so we played two 10 minute overtime halves.  Both teams played with a lot of heart as legs were starting to get tired, but neither team could get a goal. As the game had been played on a field with no lights and it was now past sundown, we had to move over to the lighted football stadium field for the final penalty shoot-out.  Our team had practiced penalty kicks the day before and had locked in a line-up so we were ready.  The first two kickers from both teams scored on their PK’s with Juan Cuellar and Morgan Janovec getting the Whippets on the board.  Then our keeper, Antwan Banda, stepped up and got a big save against Jefferson’s shooter.  Cristian Reyes picked up the third goal for the Whippets.  Banda got his hands on the fourth shot from Jefferson but it made it in the goal.  Colin Chenoweth made his PK to keep us ahead 4-3.  Jefferson’s final shot found the net to bring it to 4-4 with Jose Espana stepping up for our final try.  Espana’s shot went straight in and the Whippets celebrated an exciting, hard-fought match with a victory!  It was an all-around team effort with everyone stepping up to the task.  The Whippets play in the Regional Championship game on Saturday at 1:00pm on the road at Mt. Horeb.”

Photos Courtesy of Bob Mischka