U-18s Win PK Thriller
The Westport U-18 premier elite team — filled with rising seniors and juniors, coached by Steve Baumann with Jason Kreis — won a thrilling state cup match in the rain at Wakeman Field on Saturday.
Their foes — Bridgeport — seemed like a mirror image of the Westport Soccer Association-sponsored side. The hosts went up 2-0 on 1st-half goals from Danny Jersey (off a corner kick) and Sam Kantor (blast).
The visitors threw everything forward after intermission. They halved the margin halfway through, then equalized on a ball over the top with 30 seconds to play. Two overtimes were scoreless.
Bridgeport made their 1st 2 penalty kicks. The Westporters hit the crossbar, and were saved. Keeper Thomas Heisler made a phenomenal save, then Matteo Broccolo buried his shot. Bridgeport and Rory Steele both connected: 3-2.
Heisler saved again. Shane Dasbach hit the 5th shot, making the score 3-3 and sending the PKs to sudden victory.
Heisler saved once more. Westport missed.
Bridgeport scored. So did Kenny Brill.
Bridgeport scored. Steven Rowland did too.
Bridgeport missed. So did Westport.
Bridgeport scored. Heisler — the keeper — did too.
Bridgeport missed. Finally, Chris Andrews iced his shot, for the hard-fought, excrutiatingly close victory.
Westport is back in action next week, on the next step in their state cup journey.
Keeper Thomas Heisler — shown here in action last fall for Staples’ reserves — was the star of the U-18 elite team’s state cup penalty kick win.
