By Chris Bennett
Correspondent
For the second time in four years and third in 10, the Elkhorn Area High School boys soccer team will conclude its season with a chance at hoisting a gold ball.
The Elks defeated Oregon 2-0 Nov. 2 at Elkhorn in a WIAA Division 2 sectional semifinal, and will play this weekend in the Division 2 state tournament at Uihlein Soccer Park in Milwaukee.
In the match against Oregon (14-7-1) the Elks scored both of their goals in the first half.
Ben Vogel scored on a corner kick and Alec Birbaum fought through two Oregon players in the 18-yard box and scored.
Elks coach BZ Kayser said the final 20 minutes of the match turned chaotic.
“We definitely had more shots and we out-possessed them,” Kayser said. “The last 20 minutes got really sloppy on both ends.”
Kayser attributed the sloppy play to each team realizing it was 20 minutes from the state tournament.
Elkhorn (21-1) is seeded second in the four-team state tournament, and opens play Friday at 1:30 p.m. against third-seeded Brookfield Central (13-6-1).
If the Elks beat Central they will play either No. 1-seeded Brookfield East (16-2-2) or fourth-seeded New Richmond (21-2-1) at 4:30 p.m. Saturday in the Division 2 state title match.
Read more about last week’s matches in the Elkhorn Independent.
