A shootout and a blowout Saturday set the stage for Monday's Metro Conference boys soccer championship match.

Defending Class A state champion Millard West and Omaha Westside traded goals in overtime before the Wildcats shut out the Warriors in the shootout for a 2-1 victory in the opening game at Westside's Phelps Field.

Omaha Creighton Prep then scored less than two minutes into its match with Omaha South en route to a 4-1 win over the Packers, a team they defeated Tuesday in a regular-season matchup.

Millard West and the Junior Jays are two of the state's most productive programs, but they have yet to meet this season. But it's a challenge both Wildcats coach Ron Beernink and Prep's Tom Hoover are looking forward to on Monday at 7 p.m. at Westside.

“Millard West for the past few years has been the class of the state,” Hoover said. “It's a good gauge for us because, their record now notwithstanding, they're going to become the best team in the state by the end of the year.”

Getting to the conference finals in a rebuilding year is a good sign to Beernink that his young team is making progress. The Wildcats graduated 13 seniors from last season's state championship team, including eight starters.

“We've talked about getting back to the finals because we've struggled to put games together on offense,” Beernink said. “We make the Metro tournament one of our goals. It's something we take serious.”

Neither team scored in regulation, but it didn't take long for the 6-2 Wildcats to score in the first overtime period when midfielder Cody Thayer found an opening on the left side and scored at 85:12.

But the 4-4 Warriors tied the game in the second overtime on a header by Jake Essi with 3:09 remaining in the 10-minute period.

Once the match got to the shootout, it didn't take the Wildcats long to gain control when Chris Watson scored on Millard West's first shot.

Wildcats goalie Eric Emerson then stopped shots by Westside's Jonathan Koch and Dan Hamilton before Stathi Patseas sent one over the crossbar. Andrew Kallman then scored on Millard West's fourth shot for a 2-0 advantage before Emerson blocked the Warriors' fourth attempt by Thomas Blair to seal the win.

Beernink said Emerson's efforts were a big reason the Wildcats had their late-game success.

“He's stepped in and played very well this year,” Beernink said. “We've been leaning on our defense this year as we get more experience, and he's been a big part of that.”

Millard West (6-2)..................0 0 1 0 1 -- 2

At Omaha Westside (4-4).............0 0 0 1 0 -- 1

• Goals: 1, MW, Cody Thayer, 85:12. 2, OW, Jake Essi, 96:51. Shootout: MW, Chris Watson, Andrew Kallman.

Omaha Creighton Prep 4, Omaha South 1

The No. 2-ranked Junior Jays defeated South earlier in the week, but that would not be an excuse for them to take the No. 3 Packers lightly.

Prep sophomore Matt Pritchard gave his team a quick 1-0 lead by scoring the first of his two goals at 1:55. But the Packers responded just more 11 minutes later with a goal from a tough angle on the right side of the field that just snuck into the left corner of the goal.

Then with 10:19 left before halftime, Prep regained the lead with a goal by Pritchard that would have made hockey fans stand up and cheer.

Midfielder Adam Kaftan launched a textbook centering pass from the right side to Pritchard, who was waiting for the pass. Pritchard put the ball into the net so quickly that the South defense and goalie Guillermo Loera didn't have a chance to react.

“He's a classic finisher,” Hoover said of Pritchard. “He has that goal-scorer mentality that when it's in the box, it's his ball and he's the one who has to win it.”

But Hoover also was quick to point out that Pritchard's teammates won't let his Saturday success go to his head.

“He still has to carry the balls back to the car,” Hoover said. “They'll remind him that ‘It's your job, sophomore.' It's not going to go to his head.”

After two second-half goals that added more than enough insurance, Hoover also had plenty of praise for the Packers.

“That's a team I would pay to see play,” Hoover said. “Our styles are so different. They're so skilled, quick on the ball, determined and poised. Our team is getting better, but there's definitely not a 4-1 difference between the two teams.”

Omaha South (9-2)....................1 0 -- 1

Omaha Creighton Prep (8-1).......................2 2 -- 4

• Goals: 1, CP, Matt Pritchard, 1:55. 2, OS, Alexander Stillinger, 13:08. 3, CP, Pritchard, 29:41. 4, CP, Jake Linden, 43:00. 5, CP, Nick Jesse, 77:15.

Contact the writer:

444-1201, alexsdad@mail.com

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