Soccer Team Wins Regional
Clayton DuCharme battles for control against Racine Lutheran Thursday at the Bluff View pitch. (Photos by Rose Ziel)
Evan Teynor heads the ball versus Kenosha on Saturday.
Prairie’s Jack Stoeffler fights for the ball against Kenosha St. Joseph Saturday afternoon.
Prairie soccer team takes Regional Championship
The Prairie du Chien boys soccer team won the WIAA Division 4 Sectional 3 Regional with victories over the Racine Lutheran Crusaders and the Kenosha St. Joseph’s Lancers.
On Thursday, the Blackhawks hosted Racine Lutheran in the first round of regional competition. Prairie dominated play for most of the game, scoring four times in the first half.
Just 2:44 in, Preston Hendrix bolted through the Crusader defense for the first score.
At 6:16, Hendrix fed Chas Sagedahl who put it in for number 2.
In the 34th minute, Hendrix broke through again for a third goal, and then in the 44th minute found Jack Stoeffler for the fourth goal and a 4-0 lead at the half.
The loose officiating allowed roughness to crescendo through the contest, resulting in four yellow cards and the ejection of the Racine Lutheran coach.
The Hawks played protect and defend in the second half to hold the victory and avoid injury.
Late in the game, the Crusaders were able to find one crease for a score in the 82nd minute making the final a 4-1 victory for the Blackhawks.
Wesley Schwager had 16 saves in the game.
On Saturday, the Hawks hosted the Kenosha St. Joseph’s Lancers in the Regional Round 2 contest.
The Lancers advanced after a 1-0 shoot out over No. 6 ranked, Faith Christian.
The teams seemed very close, with the first half edge going to St. Joe’s. A strong St. Joseph defense held the Hawks to only 10 shots and one corner kick in the first half.
In the second half, the Hawks came out stronger and focused and took control. Up front, Preston Hendrix, Jack Stoeffler, Jon Dyer, Chas Sagedahl, Nathaniel Oehler, Mark Welter, Clayton Ducharme, Weston Hill and Nathan Specht found opportunities and chipped away at the St. Joe’s wall.
Then at 58:58, a foul gave Sagedahl a 30-yard direct kick from the right side of the field. With the box stacked on the right, Chas fired a hard curve to the upper left corner and into the net for the score.
Prairie’s defense of Andrew Waller, Nathan Specht, Nolan Stram, Evan and Ben Teynor and goalie Wesley Schwager with 12 saves tightened. Despite several very close and nerve racking attempts by the Lancers, the defense shut down St. Joe’s and protected the 1-0 lead till the final whistle.
As time ran out, the Hawks charged the field in celebration and acceptance of the Regional Championship plaque.
The Hawks travel to Wind Point just south of Racine Thursday where they will meet the No. 2 seed and 2014 State Champions, The Prairie School Prairie Hawks in the first round of sectional play. Go Hawks!
