Western Christian wins in penalty kicks to advance to third-straight state championship game

DES MOINES, Iowa (KTIV) - There was no shortage of excitement on Thursday in the Iowa boys state soccer semifinals.

After taking the win in the Class 1A quarterfinal against Treynor, The Western Christian Wolfpack are on to the semifinal aiming to make their way to the championship game for the third straight year.

But Regina wouldn’t make things easy. In the first half, Regina’s Jack Hoover would drive up and take his shot at the right corner. That one slides past JD Petitt as the Regals take the 1-nil lead.

It would stay like that until the second half when Miles Baccam fires off the corner kick and Aidan Ouwinga rises up for the header and gets the equalizer. That was his first varsity goal, and it was a big one to tie the game with 4:30 left in the second half.

After two 10-minute overtimes, and the first round of five in penalty kicks this game was still going and now in sudden death.

On the 10th round of penalty kicks, Western Christian’s Barret Bleeker slides one into the right side. So now its up to JD Petitt. The Regals would take their shot but Petitt gets the stop to win the game.

Western Christian knew they were ready after falling in PK’s in last year’s championship game. They take the 2-1 win to go back to the championship.

“I don’t even know what to say. It was so amazing. I just love my team so much, this guy right here. I just love this. Love being out here,” said Aidan Ouwinga, Western Christian junior.

“It just feels amazing. It’s not only me that did it. They had to make their PK’s as well. So it was a team game, not just me. It was a full team game,” said JD Petitt, Western Christian junior keeper.

The Wolfpack will face Grundy Center/Gladbrook-Reinbeck in the 1A Championship game Saturday morning at 10:00 a.m.

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