JournalStar.com

Lincoln East tops Southwest in shootout

BY TODD HENRICHS / Lincoln Journal Star

Thursday, May 01, 2008 - 09:49:34 am CDT

Skylar Fossberg couldnıt tell you with any certainty that the Lincoln East boys soccer team had qualified for the state tournament 15 years in a row. Or that since 1993, the Spartans had won 21 matches at state and captured five titles.

 

But what Eastıs senior keeper could tell you Wednesday was what to expect from each of Lincoln Southwestıs participants in a  shootout. Fossbergıs two saves, combined with his teammatesı four successful penalty kicks in overtime, allowed East to claim an improbable 4-3 win and yet another district title.

 

³We did our research,² said East coach Jeff Hoham, whose Class A eighth-ranked Spartans overcame a one-goal deficit three times just to extend the match.

 

The Spartansı last goal, a penalty kick from Justin Burns, came following a handball whistled against a Southwest defender in the 81st minute. And if that wasnıt frustrating enough, the Silver Hawks opened overtime with two excellent chances that Fossberg was able to save.

 

³We couldnıt finish,² Southwest coach Dan Carpenter said. ³You can look and see at least a dozen opportunities in the scorebook where we had possession in front of the goal and didnıt convert.²

 

With a state tournament berth resting on penalty kicks — five a side — Fossberg gave East its first real advantage of the night by turning away the Silver Hawksı first shootout try.

 

As the Spartans kept rippling the net, Fossberg knew that one more save could end it. He dove to his right, smothering the Silver Hawksı hopes as his teammates jumped to their feet to celebrate the District A-6 title.

 

In avenging an earlier 1-0 loss, East (10-5) reached state with the youngest team in Hohamıs tenure.

 

³I donıt think there was a whole lot of pressure on our team,² Fossberg said. ³We were the underdog.²

 

Southwestıs state-tournament hopes were reduced to earning the lone available Class A wild card. Entering play Wednesday, two teams — Millard West and Omaha South — were ahead of the Silver Hawks (12-3) in the Class A wild-card point standings.

 

Omaha South played its district final Wednesday. Millard Westıs final is Thursday.