Emporia puts end to Newton’s season
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NEWTON — Two other times during the third and fourth overtimes, Newton goalkeeper Casey Budd was able to used his lanky frame and extend high enough to block shots attempts by Emporia.
But on the Spartans’ final attempt with three minutes remaining in the fourth overtime, Budd’s reach just wasn’t long enough.
Emporia winger Yonathan Pachacano raced down the sideline and made a long pass in the air to Jared Schafer, who barely headed the ball between the top of the goal and Budd’s outstretched hands into the back of the net and gave the Spartans a 2-1 victory.
Emporia will play Friday in Topeka at the Class 5A semifinals, while the Railers finished the season 16-3.
“They played a great cross and he (Schaefer) just put it over me,” Budd said. “I thought I could jump high enough to get it butć.ć.ć. I wasn’t able to.”
Not being able to get it was more than just a description of the final play but of Newton’s play throughout the nearly 110-minute thriller.
Poor passing — which is usually a strength — plagued the Railers throughout and never allowed their offense to build an attack.
“I’m a little disappointed that we could never string just a couple of passes to get a goal,” Newton’s Ben Kreider said. “I guess we have to credit them for that, but we tried too hard to find a rhythm.”
In fact, Newton’s only goal came with a little controversy.
Missael Reyes’ corner kick late in the first half was nearly perfect as the ball’s spin veered it closer to the goal. Emporia’s goalie, Elvis De La Cruz, caught the shot attempt but his forward momentum tumbled him into the goal. Spartan players and coaches all thought he was pushed in, but the officials ruled it a goal.
Eight minutes later, Emporia’s Saul Trujillo was tripped inside the box and was rewarded with a penalty kick, which he scored on, while Newton objected that it
was incidental contact.
“The style of play they used never allowed us to get into any kind of rhythm,” Newton coach Scott Jantzi said. “There were glimpses throughout the match where we tried to make things happen, but for the most part it didn’t.”
Three times in the second half, Emporia had chances to score — two of which were its easiest opportunities of the evening.
Following a failed corner kick attempt, the ball was deep inside Newton’s six-yard box, but before the ball found the net Tanner Gatz kicked it out.
Then, Cory Obermeyer had two one-on-one opportunities within minutes, but both shots went high.
In the closing minutes of the fourth overtime, Newton’s poor passing led to the Spartans’ goal. The Railers were careless with the ball at midfield, which led to a long outlet pass that found Pachacano.
Seconds later, Schaefer ended one of the best seasons in Newton boys soccer history.
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