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Onward to the semifinals
Eggleston’s late goal seals quarterfinal win for Raiders
Southeast Iowa Union offers audio versions of articles using Instaread. Some words may be mispronounced.
WILLIAMSBURG — Calm and collected in the biggest moment of the game.
In a Class 2A boys’ soccer state quarterfinal between Williamsburg and Burlington Notre Dame Monday, things were looking like they were headed to extra time.
Williamsburg’s Mason Eggleston had other plans.
Off a pass from a teammate, Eggleston broke free with under three minutes remaining with only the Nikes’ goalkeeper standing in his way.
Eggleston struck the ball to the right corner of the net and scored to give the Raiders the game winning goal in a 2-1 quarterfinal victory.
“I have had a lot of opportunities one-on-one throughout my career,” said Eggleston. “I just knew I had to be calm and collected going toward the goal and slide it into the corner.”
“There was a lot of pressure on the line there, but I knew as a captain I had to put my foot forward for the team.”
The other two goals in this game were scored within two game minutes of each other, but in different halves.
With under a minute remaining in the first half, John Eichhorn passed ahead to Braysen Doehrmann, who beat the goalkeeper to the ball to give the Raiders a 1-0 halftime lead.
Burlington Notre Dame had a few close calls in the first half and responded instantly in the second half.
Off a pass from the corner, Caeden Ott struck the ball in to tie things up.
The Nikes put a lot of pressure on the Raiders’ defense throughout the game, especially in the second half.
Goalkeepers Elias Schanz and Logan Hummer had crucial saves for the Raiders.
“The second half we allowed them to live on our side a little more than we would’ve liked,” Williamsburg coach Ryan Sauser said. “But they made adjustments, and we were able to find ways to give pressure.”
Keeping ball pressure was key as the Nikes showed their passing and footwork abilities throughout the game.
“We knew they were a possession-based team,” said Sauser. “We were really just trying to take away the open guys. Can’t let a team like that live in front of you.”
The Raiders’ defense held firm, holding a team that had scored 83 goals in 19 games, scoreless the rest of the game.
“That’s a heck of a team there, and throughout the year,” Eggleston said. “They had a lot of chances on net, but a team like us, we don’t break that easy.”
Quarterfinal games have usually been played at a state site (as the semifinals and finals are), but the Raiders had the opportunity to play in front of a home crowd for the win.
“The crowd was awesome tonight,” Sauser said. “We needed that atmosphere on our home turf, and it was a big help in a one goal game.”
The Raiders will now face Bishop Heelan in the 2A semifinals Wednesday at Mediacom Stadium in Des Moines. Match starts at 5 p.m.
