Published Wednesday

April 30, 2003

Lincoln East triumphs in shootout

BY STU POSPISIL

WORLD-HERALD BUREAU

LINCOLN - Top-ranked Lincoln East held a 26-4 advantage in shots on goal against rival Lincoln High, but needed a comeback to remain undefeated in boys soccer.

Senior goalkeeper Joel Bergt batted away the Links' fifth and sixth attempts as the shootout went to sudden death for the 1-0 victory Tuesday. The match at Seacrest Field was for the city and Heartland Conference championships.

"The shootout naturally made me a little nervous when it started the way it did," Lincoln East Coach Jeff Hoham said. "But when you have the best keeper in the state, you just have to keep the faith, baby."

A crowd estimated at 400 watched No. 6 Lincoln High (10-2) go ahead 2-1 after three kickers in the shootout. Links keeper Jake Brestel, a field player who started in goal because East was the opponent, stopped two of the Spartans' first three shots.

"We were limited in our kickers," Links Coach Jack Brestel said. "Not to make excuses, for Joel did a great job, but if we had to go another five kickers, we had so many guys injured that we might have had trouble coming up with another five."

Brestel said his team "played almost the entire game in a sense of panic."

"We like to get the ball ahead to Zac (Venema) and Matt (Jennings)," he said, "and we just tried to hurry things."

Steve Gogela put 11-0 Lincoln East ahead on the shootout's sixth kick, bouncing a shot off the left post past Jake Brestel. Bergt then came up with his third save in the shootout.

"This was a classic battle of two quality teams," Hoham said. "One getting a heck of a lot of chances, that being us, and just not simply being able to finish. And, of course, a Lincoln High team stepping up with a lot of heart and a lot of effort.

"I just kept emphasizing that we had to get the ball to the outside. They were packing the box, and we just had to get it to the wings and take it to the goal or give us a cross. It just didn't work out, but I give their keeper a lot of credit and their defense a lot of credit."

Lincoln High (10-2).........................0 0 0 0 0-0

At Lincoln East (11-0).........................0 0 0 0 1-1

Ä Goals: LE, shootout victory (4-3, six kicks).

Ä Shootout: LE, miss, Jason Pickerel, miss, Bobby Kurasawa, Matt Steffens, Steve Gogela; LH, Kyle Harmon, Mitchel Memming, miss, Tyler Lawrence, miss, miss.

No. 1 Spartans edge Links in shootout

BY BRIAN ROSENTHAL / Lincoln Journal Star

April 30, 2003

Joel Bergt was munching on a Rice Krispies treat as he talked about Tuesday night's soccer match.

Apparently, this isn't a regular occurrence.

"It's probably somebody's birthday or something," Bergt said. "I don't know."

Perhaps the snack was Bergt's reward for a job well done.

The Lincoln East senior goalkeeper batted away three of six shootout kicks, the final one sparking a celebration in which Bergt was dog-piled.

That last deflection allowed the Class A top-ranked Spartans to edge sixth-ranked Lincoln High 1-0 in a sudden-death shootout at Seacrest Field.

Defending state champion East (11-0) avenged its only two losses from last season. The Spartans entered the night having won two straight overtime matches.