Thunderbolts win, to face Lutheran
OMAHA — It was another one of those plays Nate Polak usually makes.
This one was a pass, not a goal. Regardless, it was much needed for Lincoln Pius X.
Polak set up Joe Hilger for a goal late in the first half to spark the top-ranked Thunderbolts in a 2-0 victory over York in the first round of the Class B boys state soccer tournament on Friday at Morrison Stadium.
Lincoln Pius X will now play Lincoln Lutheran in Saturday’s 6 p.m. semifinal.
Hilger scored his eighth goal of the season with 35 seconds remaining in the first half.
“Nate made another great pass,” Hilger said.
Polak leads Pius X with 17 goals and 13 assists.
Luke Votipka scored the Thunderbolts’ other goal on an assist from Joe Pleskac four minutes into the second half.
York proved early it wouldn’t allow Pius X another easy victory, Pius X senior Marcus Schademann said.
“I think it would have been a much better game, but when we scored with 35 seconds left in the half it was kind of a dagger to them,” Schademann said.
York had the best scoring chance early. Midway through the first half, a shot bounced off one goal post, flirted near the goal line and eventually rolled away.
“How did that not go in?” York coach Rich Saxer said. “I thought it was going in, and it bounced, and I still thought it was going in. If that would have went in, boy, we would have been on Cloud Nine there.“
The unranked Dukes (11-9) avenged previous losses in their final three games to reach state.
“We felt they were going to come out strong that first 15 minutes, and it was important we weather the storm,” Saxer said. “We had some decent opportunities right away. We just had to get through that first 15 minutes, and then it just kept going, and we just wanted to keep hanging with it.“
The Thunderbolts has beaten York by three goals earlier in the season.
“If we would have beat them it would have been a huge upset,” Saxer said. “Not because we’re that bad — I think we’re pretty good — but they’re just so good. Those guys are very, very good.
“They don’t have a weakness.“
Reach Brent C. Wagner at 473-7435 or bwagner@journalstar.com
This one was a pass, not a goal. Regardless, it was much needed for Lincoln Pius X.
Polak set up Joe Hilger for a goal late in the first half to spark the top-ranked Thunderbolts in a 2-0 victory over York in the first round of the Class B boys state soccer tournament on Friday at Morrison Stadium.
Lincoln Pius X will now play Lincoln Lutheran in Saturday’s 6 p.m. semifinal.
Hilger scored his eighth goal of the season with 35 seconds remaining in the first half.
“Nate made another great pass,” Hilger said.
Polak leads Pius X with 17 goals and 13 assists.
Luke Votipka scored the Thunderbolts’ other goal on an assist from Joe Pleskac four minutes into the second half.
York proved early it wouldn’t allow Pius X another easy victory, Pius X senior Marcus Schademann said.
“I think it would have been a much better game, but when we scored with 35 seconds left in the half it was kind of a dagger to them,” Schademann said.
York had the best scoring chance early. Midway through the first half, a shot bounced off one goal post, flirted near the goal line and eventually rolled away.
“How did that not go in?” York coach Rich Saxer said. “I thought it was going in, and it bounced, and I still thought it was going in. If that would have went in, boy, we would have been on Cloud Nine there.“
The unranked Dukes (11-9) avenged previous losses in their final three games to reach state.
“We felt they were going to come out strong that first 15 minutes, and it was important we weather the storm,” Saxer said. “We had some decent opportunities right away. We just had to get through that first 15 minutes, and then it just kept going, and we just wanted to keep hanging with it.“
The Thunderbolts has beaten York by three goals earlier in the season.
“If we would have beat them it would have been a huge upset,” Saxer said. “Not because we’re that bad — I think we’re pretty good — but they’re just so good. Those guys are very, very good.
“They don’t have a weakness.“
Reach Brent C. Wagner at 473-7435 or bwagner@journalstar.com
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