History has taught us that the best match of the Second Region Boys’ Soccer Tournament is usually found in the semifinals. That may be true again as Elvin Wagner scored with less than two minutes left to give University Heights Academy a 3-2 win over Madisonville Wednesday.
The Blazers will play Henderson County in Thursday’s championship match. The Colonels beat Hopkins County Central 8-0 in the other semifinal.
William Bryan took a pass from Connor Dill and crossed it to Wagner who put a foot to the ball and found the back of the net for the game-winner.
As expected, the contest was an intense affair that ended 10 on 10 due to a pair of red cards given to players on both teams. A Madisonville assistant also got a red card for arguing a call.
Madisonville scored the game’s first goal when Dalton Daves rebounded a missed shot and found the net in the 36th minute.
William Bryan, who was double-teamed most of the night by the Maroon defense, scored twice in a five-minute span to give the Blazers the lead. His first goal came in the 48th minute when he controlled a pass from Dill out front and scored.
Bryan scored five minutes later on a direct kick just outside the goal box out front.
UHA was forced to play a man down after a red card with 25 minutes left.
Madisonville scored the equalizer with 13 minutes left on a goal by Tate Young, who was subsequently given a red card for taunting.
Both teams got good looks at the goal playing 10 on 10 before Wagner sent the Blazers to the school’s first region championship since its 2011 region title win. UHA outshot Madisonville 14-8 in the game with Quinton Quarles making eight saves for the Blazers.
It was another strong defensive effort for UHA, who has allowed 16 goals in 12 games.
UHA [10-2] will meet Henderson County [7-2-1] Thursday at 6 pm in Madisonville in the region championship. It will be their first meeting since 2018 when Henderson won 2-0.
