The Johnston girls’ soccer team entered Thursday’s Class 3A regional final at Ankeny Centennial with a pedestrian 9-7 mark.
Centennial coach Chris Allen and his players knew, however, that the 14th-ranked Dragons were better than what their record showed.
“We went to overtime with them earlier this season so we were expecting a really competitive game,” said Centennial goalkeeper Kate Bergan. “We were prepared for everything, and I’m just really happy that we were able to capitalize in the end.”
The two teams battled to a scoreless draw for 100 minutes before No. 5 Centennial finally prevailed, 1-0, in a shootout. Alanna Pennington scored what proved to be the winning goal, then Bergan followed with a save against Johnston’s Taryn Theilen to send the Jaguars to next week’s state tournament at Cownie Park.
“I guess it’s a good way to go to state, if you’re on the positive end of that,” said Allen. “Get that experience out of the way prior to the state run. Hopefully, that builds us up a little bit that we can survive some adversity. I’m absolutely proud of the kids. It’s not easy to step up and make those big saves or big shots with a (trip to state) on the line.”
The Jaguars (16-3) dominated the run of play throughout the game, but did not generate a lot of great scoring chances.
“We knew Johnston was a great team and we’d have to battle, especially with the wind–that added another factor,” said Centennial senior Ella Becker. “But I’m glad we were on the upper end of it.”
The Dragons nearly scored on a header off a corner kick in the 62nd minute, but Becker headed the ball away from the goal.
“That save by Ella was heroic,” Allen said. “She stayed on the line and cleared the ball from the line. That easily could have gone off her head and into the goal. It reminds me of a women’s World Cup save that I believe Brandi Chastain had that kept them in it. It was a big deal.”
Becker said she simply reacted to the play.
“I saw Kate come out and I saw her going up for the ball, and I knew there was nothing else I could do except just get it out with my head and hope that somebody else is on the end of it,” she said.
With 4 minutes left in the first overtime, Centennial was on the other end of a great save. A corner kick by Ella Hudachek was headed by Becker toward the goal, but the Johnston keeper snared the ball out of the air.
“The goalkeeper was really good,” Becker said. “She had a great game. it was an awesome save. It was a great ball from Ella; we were just unlucky.”
With 1 minute left in the second overtime, Johnston also had a chance to end the game. Emma Hampton blasted a deep shot on a counter attack that eluded Bergan but sailed just over the crossbar.
Shortly thereafter, the game went to a shootout.
“I think it’s probably what I expected,” Allen said. “(Johnston) put in a really good defensive effort, but they also had some offensive shots so I don’t want to take that away from them, either. I think when we settled in and moved the ball around and believed in ourselves that we could keep the ball, we looked really dangerous.”
The Dragons took an early lead in the shootout. Hampton converted the opening attempt before Centennial’s Courtney Kovacs was denied on her shot.
Bergan followed with a save on an attempt by Molly Trachta. Averi Porter then scored to tie it for the Jaguars.
“We’ve been working on them a lot in practice, and we’re super accurate,” Pennington said. “So I believed in everyone.”
Johnston’s next attempt by Halle Howe sailed over the crossbar. McKenna Hilton then converted her kick to give Centennial a 2-1 lead.
Waverly Zhao answered for the Dragons, but Pennington then scored to put the Jaguars on the brink of victory.
“I really wanted it,” Pennington said.
Bergan then dove to her left to block Theilen’s attempt, punching Centennial’s ticket to state.
“It feels amazing,” Bergan said. “The team has worked so hard all season, and I’m just so proud that everyone worked so hard during the game and we finally made it.
“We took so many practice shots in practice. I’m just really happy that we were able to come through in the end,” she added.
Pennington had confidence that Bergan would finish the job.
“Kate is so good at them,” she said. “I’ve never seen her not do well in PKs.”
Centennial will play No. 4 Waukee Northwest (16-2) in a Class 3A quarterfinal on Tuesday at 3:15 p.m. on Field 8. The Jaguars lost an earlier meeting at Northwest, 1-0, on May 13.
