Defense, a shot-stopper helped Wyoming advance to state final
· Yahoo Sports
SUNBURY, Ohio – Teddy Peterson rejoined the Wyoming High School soccer program this season after focusing on football for the past two years.
The Wyoming junior goalkeeper, who has a lot of experience in net in club ball, made the biggest save of his career. He saved the final penalty kick by Bay Village Bay, giving the Cowboys a 6-5 win in the shootout after a 0-0 draw Nov. 11 in the Ohio High School Athletic Association Division IV boys soccer semifinals at Big Walnut High School.
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Wyoming (16-4-3) plays Worthington Christian in the state final 1 p.m. Sunday, Nov. 15, at ScottsMiracle-Gro Field, the home of the Columbus Crew. Wyoming was 2021 state champions and also made the semis in 2022.
Bay finishes 17-2-5. It was a rematch of last year’s state semifinals, when Bay scored late in overtime to win it.
“Last year we were at this field,” head coach Ryan Derge said. “They gave us a great fight. We gave them a great fight. We were two minutes away from going to PKs. This is very sweet for all of us, being able to come back and rectify in our minds what we lost."
The teams played 110 minutes of scoreless soccer as both teams played intense defense. Wyoming’s best chances came from a couple of headers, which the Bay keeper saved from close range. Bay had a couple of shots from the side clip the crossbar and bounce away, a few inches from being a goal.
“Both defenses were good tonight,” Derge said. “You feel it could be (0-0). I think both teams were just so well coached.”
Brayden Strong, the senior anchor of the defense, was proud of his whole team.
“We were just playing really good as a whole,” he said. “Our midfield was helping out. It was just an outstanding game by everyone today. And it showed at the end when we all got to celebrate with our amazing fans that came out. Just shows how strong our community is, it’s just an amazing feeling.”
It went down to penalty kicks. The teams were tied 4-4 after five and then it became one for each team until there was a winner. Both teams made their sixth kick. Junior Liam Hagerman started the seventh round with a successful kick, then Peterson made the save the Cowboys needed.
“He got two on his hands and he was able to get the third,” Derge said. “He's quite a shot-stopper. He was a football player. But at Wyoming, we try to make sure that there's a home for every player anywhere they want to meet. And he comes over and coach Jamie is best in the business in terms of developing goalkeepers. So he really works well with Teddy. He's a sponge, and he's probably the most improved from day one to now and it shows.”
Said Peterson: “For the first two years of my high school career, I played football and I punted and played receiver. But after a while, I just felt like soccer was more my destiny. I wanted to play both still. But after my sophomore year, I actually felt soccer was my thing.”
Wyoming was 6-of-7 in penalty kicks, made by Miles Steininger, Brayden Strong, Tristian Pitman, Ethan Harrison, Cayden Walters and Hagerman. Steininger wanted to go first and set the tone.
“You dream of games like these,” Steininger said. “You love games like these. We were all excited to come here so it's an honor to play in these games.”
Players of the game
Dawson Feldman, Wyoming: The junior had four great corner kicks in the first half and one in the second half, and one in overtime, which gave the Cowboys a chance to score.
Nolan Franco, Wyoming: The senior had two great shot attempts in the first half. One glanced off the top of the crossbar and rolled away.
Teddy Peterson, Wyoming: He posted the shutout in goal and made a save to win the PK shootout.
Wyoming’s defense: The back line, led by seniors Strong, William Haid and Ethan Nordstrom among others, shut out the Rockets.
The Enquirer will update this story with photos from the game.
This article originally appeared on Cincinnati Enquirer: Defense, a shot-stopper helped Wyoming advance to state final