COTTAGE GROVE - The Sugar River boys soccer team ended Monroe's season with a 3-2 win over the Cheesemakers in a WIAA Division 3 regional championship game Saturday.
Since the Raiders' home field also serves as Belleville High School's football field, it was not an approved WIAA site for the tournament and the game was moved to Bakken Park in Cottage Grove.
"Sugar River is the No. 1 seed for a reason," Monroe coach Tony Vasquez said. "They are very good. It's always a tough game when we play them whether they are having a good season or we are having a good season."
With the win, Sugar River (17-3-1) advances to play Mount Horeb in a Division 3 sectional semifinal Thursday.
"We have a one-game-at-a-time mentality," Sugar River coach Jacob Ziehr said. "Even though we had hopes of going even further in the playoffs we had to focus on Monroe. Monroe is a solid team, especially since they were able to knock off a pretty good Evansville team."
Sugar River senior Lukas Diaz scored a goal on an assist from senior Dylan Hustad at 4 minutes, 38 seconds. Sugar River senior Mike Jennrich scored an unassisted goal at 20:17 to give the Raiders a 2-0 lead. Senior teammate Kevin Zimmerman tacked on a goal at 42:27 to give the Raiders a 3-2 lead at the half.
Monroe (8-11-1) mounted a comeback in the second half. Monroe senior Niven Tomasiewicz scored a goal at 85:10 to cut the Raiders' lead to 3-1. Monroe freshman Anthany Hernandez scored a goal on an assist from Tomasiewicz at 88:54 to slice the Raiders' lead to one goal, but that is as close as the Cheesemakers would get.
"They were able to do more with the wind in the first half," Vasquez said. "It came down to who could use the weather to their advantage better. We came up just a little short."
Sugar River goalkeeper Cullen Denney had five saves. Monroe junior goalkeeper Atticus Pond had six saves.
The Cheesemakers had a 2-on-1 late when the game was called.
"It was a disadvantage not to have a score clock," Vasquez said. "We didn't know how much time was left. We just ran out of time."
Since the Raiders' home field also serves as Belleville High School's football field, it was not an approved WIAA site for the tournament and the game was moved to Bakken Park in Cottage Grove.
"Sugar River is the No. 1 seed for a reason," Monroe coach Tony Vasquez said. "They are very good. It's always a tough game when we play them whether they are having a good season or we are having a good season."
With the win, Sugar River (17-3-1) advances to play Mount Horeb in a Division 3 sectional semifinal Thursday.
"We have a one-game-at-a-time mentality," Sugar River coach Jacob Ziehr said. "Even though we had hopes of going even further in the playoffs we had to focus on Monroe. Monroe is a solid team, especially since they were able to knock off a pretty good Evansville team."
Sugar River senior Lukas Diaz scored a goal on an assist from senior Dylan Hustad at 4 minutes, 38 seconds. Sugar River senior Mike Jennrich scored an unassisted goal at 20:17 to give the Raiders a 2-0 lead. Senior teammate Kevin Zimmerman tacked on a goal at 42:27 to give the Raiders a 3-2 lead at the half.
Monroe (8-11-1) mounted a comeback in the second half. Monroe senior Niven Tomasiewicz scored a goal at 85:10 to cut the Raiders' lead to 3-1. Monroe freshman Anthany Hernandez scored a goal on an assist from Tomasiewicz at 88:54 to slice the Raiders' lead to one goal, but that is as close as the Cheesemakers would get.
"They were able to do more with the wind in the first half," Vasquez said. "It came down to who could use the weather to their advantage better. We came up just a little short."
Sugar River goalkeeper Cullen Denney had five saves. Monroe junior goalkeeper Atticus Pond had six saves.
The Cheesemakers had a 2-on-1 late when the game was called.
"It was a disadvantage not to have a score clock," Vasquez said. "We didn't know how much time was left. We just ran out of time."
