The Blair boys soccer team had its opportunities Monday during a scoreless, shootout loss to 2-9 Norris.
Even when they played into the wind, coach Curt Scott's Bears (6-5 overall) produced shots on goal at Krantz Field, but they just couldn't score. The 0-0 match ended with a 4-3 shootout in the Titans' favor.
“We just needed to finish the ball. We just couldn't put it in the back of the net,” disappointed senior Colton Matney said. “We had opportunities. We just needed to execute, and it wasn't there.”
BHS' Quinn Baedke appeared to score a 1-0 advantage with 5 minutes to go in the first half, but the goal was waved off due to an offsides call. Sakuto Yamada unleashed promising shots into the wind during the first half, too, but none of them hit their mark — the back of the goal.
“The wind was definitely a problem, but when we had it we didn't take advantage of it when we could,” Matney said. “We really needed to do that and we just didn't it.”
Isaac Field, Drew Wulf and Victor Hernandez were among the Bears who placed shots on goal during the second half with the wind at their backs. Hernandez's was saved by the Norris goalkeeper and then bounced off of the left post.
Blair keeper Luke Donner made his own save during the 59th minute on a Titan header, too.
Neither team scored during regulation or the two overtime periods, though, so the match went to a shootout. The Bears just won in a similar situation April 8 against Elkhorn, but lost Monday.
Baedke and Crayton Macholan were unsuccessful on BHS' first two attempts, while Norris made their's. From there, though, Matney, Field and Yamada were successful.
Donner made a save on a penalty kick by Kyrin Geary, too, prolonging the shootout. It only lasted until Norris' Levi Nerud ended it, though, producing the clincher into the net.
The loss wore heavy on the Bears' faces during the postgame huddle. Afterward, Matney said his team needed to look forward with two days before their next match.
“We need to come to practice, head up, and keep grinding,” the senior said. “We just need to rest up, recover, and be ready to go.”
Blair was scheduled to play state-favorite Bennington on Thursday and next competes 5:30 p.m. Tuesday in its regular season finale at Elkhorn.
BHS SOCCER LINE SCORE
Monday
Norris 0(4), Blair 0(3)
NHS (2-9) 0 0 0 0 (4) — 0
BHS (6-5) 0 0 0 0 (3) — 0
