Kelly Walsh Topples Defending Champ Sheridan In Shootout For 4A Title

Highlights of the Saturday, May 19th boys soccer 4A State Championship game, between Kelly Walsh and Sheridan.

Scroll down to watch the highlights of the game!

Neither team could find the net, after 100 minutes of play, so the Trojans and the Broncs had to put the title on the line in a shootout!

It’s got the look, and it’s got the sounds…I’m just wondering how that trolley was able to get to the Big Horn Equestrian Center, since there are no train tracks nearby…oh well.

Kelly Walsh vs. Sheridan in the 4A State Championship Game…first half…Kelly Walsh wearing the white…that corner kick will be sent right back to Caleb Romsa…so he’ll try again from a little bit closer. That shot though would get snuffed out by Cole Smith, who just barely kept his feet in bounds, and it stopped that treat for now.

On the other end…the defending state champs put up their share of shots as well…Hunter Reece is aiming from afar but Connor Diller will dive to swat that ball away…his dad is the principal of the school so had he messed up…there might have been some academic disciplinary action…just messing with you Connor.

Here comes another long range attack from Reece, but the principal’s son had his number…however neither team had any numbers on the scoreboard at halftime…it’s still zip-zip.

Second half…both teams now going in the opposite direction…Caleb Romsa is leading a fast-break, but you’re going to have to do better than that to get the ball past Smith. These 2 teams did not hook up during the regular season, but they’ve played in past years and knew each other well.

Back to the boys in blue…Reece again trying to make something happen …and Diller would make sure that something bad did not happen for the Trojans…after 80 minutes…we have accomplished nothing and this game went into overtime.

Skipping ahead to the 2^nd 10 minutes…the Broncs have a great opportunity with a free kick at the top of the box…Reece has to put just enough on this shot to get the ball over the wall of defenders…and he also put enough to send the ball over the cross-bar and out of bounds. One-hundred minutes in the books…no score. We’re going to a shootout!

Round 1…Sheridan goes first…Braydon Drell is aiming for the right side and his foot is faster than Diller’s hands…his team draws first blood, up 1-to-nothing.

K-W is given a chance to answer…Caleb Romsa puts his foot down…and credit to Smith…great anticipation…he just was not fast enough…the shootout is tied at 1.

Round 2…Reece with another opportunity to score for the Broncs…everyone has gone to the right so far and so did the senior, but he put too much on it and missed. Tough break for Reece with all the chances he had. I know he really wanted to score, but now the momentum has shifted.

The Trojans now have a chance to take the lead and they would summon Patrick Cardinal…he goes to the left and finds the top shelf. Now his team is flying high with a 2-to-1 advantage.

Round 3…goalie vs. goalie…and sometimes you got to do it yourself. That’s what Smith had in mind as he would tie the shootout, at 2-goals a piece.

Kelly Walsh was not ready to try the same strategy…that called up Michael Bays instead…and speed kills. He would play to his strength and the Trojans go up 3-to-2.

Round 4…the defending champs can play that game too…Gabe Dahmke…count it…the drama is starting to build with the score at 3-all.

You got to watch this one…Austin Zimmerman for K-W…that was sick, yet awesome at the same time and the junior knows it. His team is in control…leading 4-to-3.

Round 5…it’s do or die time for Sheridan…Scott Brown…and he’ll do! But his team is not out of trouble yet…we’re tied at 4, and the opposition still has one more card to play.

Now it’s in the hands of Marcus Couldridge and all he’s got to do, is get the ball by Smith…the senior keeps it on the ground and that’s the ball game. Time to celebrate…dog pile…you name it.

It was a great game overall, but some team had to lose unfortunately.

The Kelly Walsh Trojans…a 3 seed out of the west, make a remarkable run through the tournament to take home their first state title, since 2007.

They win 1-nil with a shootout score of 5-to-4…K-W will finish the season with a record of 12-5-and-2.