Photo Courtesy of Jeff Yoder
The 1A playoff opener for the Hillcrest Academy Raven boys soccer team didn’t lack for drama Monday night in Kalona. It took a comeback and a scoring play in sudden death to get the Ravens by Waterloo Columbus 2-1. The defenses were dominant during the first 40 minutes with the match scoreless at half. Out of the break, it was the Sailors who would grab the lead, with a 48th minute goal. The score stayed that way until late Hillcrest heroics.
Still trailing 1-0 entering the final 10 minutes, the Ravens switched tactics, pushing another player forward and it paid off with the equalizer. Kale Bailey found Charlie Hughes on a throw-in and Hughes, used his head, right past the Columbus keeper to tie the game in the final five minutes. Even at one after regulation the two teams moved into a golden goal scenario. With their season on the line, the Ravens came through. In the final three minutes of the extra period Isaac Birky sent a ball in and Jaxson Brokaw sent a shot to the back of the net to send the Ravens through. This week, Hillcrest head coach Marcus Miller broke down the final play and what he saw from his team. “The first half I thought we controlled play. Then the second half we gave up that goal when their guy took a shot from distance. After that, they kind of hunkered in. We put Charlie Hughes up top to get touches on crosses we were sending in. It worked! Kale (Bailey) had a long throw in, Charlie got his head to it and knocked it into the net. It felt like a relief to get that in. In the overtime period, Kale threw the ball in, (Isaac) Birky beat a defender and put a cross in, right on the goal line. Angel (Sambrano) and Jaxon (Brokaw) crashed so you had this scrum in there and Jaxon poked it in and that won it for us with a little over three minutes left. It’s always fun! You see them work really hard. It’s nice to see everyone excited for their teammates and rush the field. The guys that are out there are tired but they’re celebrating with big smiles on their faces!”
The Ravens had nine corner kicks and five shots on goal. Hughes and Brokaw did the scoring, Bailey and Birky the assisting and Garrett Bontrager the ‘keeping with three saves in goal for the win. Waterloo Columbus ends their season at 3-13. Hillcrest advances to the second round next week at No. 4 West Central Valley.