Wildcat boys? soccer earns state berth

The season culminated in the ultimate goal for the Columbus boys? soccer team on Saturday afternoon.

The Wildcats completed their sub-state tournament at home on Saturday, and with a 3-0 victory claimed the second state tournament berth in school history.

?It was exciting,? Columbus head coach Luis Cacho said. ?It feels good. The game on Saturday was excellent, and Albia was a good team and a good preparation for the state tournament. They were very physical, and they had five or six people in the back all the time, and three people on Erick (Cantarerro) most of the game.?

Having three defenders constantly watching him didn?t faze Cantarerro, who scored two of the Wildcats? goals en route to breaking the school record for most goals in a single season.

?He?s a workaholic, and against Albia they hit him and hit him and hit him, and they?d commit a penalty on him,? Cacho said. ?This is his third year and we went to state two years ago, so he knows what to expect. That experience helps him a lot.?

The Wildcats took a 1-0 lead going into halftime after Kevin Rodriguez found the back of the net.

Moving into the second half, Cantarerro earned a penalty kick opportunity which he converted for a goal, while a late Cantarerro goal iced the game at 3-0.

The win puts Columbus at 17-1 heading into the state tournament, with their only loss coming to Danville, which saw the two teams go to a 0-0 draw, and the Wildcats fall in penalty kicks.

Now entering their second state tournament in school history, and second in three years, the Wildcats are looking to win their first state tournament game when they take on Kuemper Catholic in the state quarterfinals.

?We are going to go there and have fun, and try to accomplish our goal of winning a game at state,? Cacho said. ?The last time we went there we were just happy to be at state.?

When looking at the No. 3 seeded Knights, Cacho said he doesn?t know too much about them, but was confident in his players? ability to adapt to their style.

?The conversation we had was about how we have to wait for the first 15 minutes to analyze what system they are going to play against us,? Cacho said. ?Then we have to try to attack them. I?m pretty sure they?ll put three people on Erick.?

The state quarterfinal will kick off at 12:15 p.m. on Thursday.