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Jeff Yoder

Your Prep Sports

The Regals have been waiting for a chance to play together as a team.

The first game of postseason play was the perfect opportunity to seize.

Emma Sueppel’s penalty kick was the dagger for Regina in a 3-1 regional quarterfinal victory over West Branch on Wednesday evening.

Regina coach Ann Larew was pleased with the Regals’ teamwork in the win after the challenges of the regular season.

“We’ve had a number of injuries this year and we have girls who play other sports,” Larew explained. “We’ve had few opportunities to practice outdoors because of the weather.”

“Individually, we have a lot of girls who play well, but we hadn’t had the opportunity to play together as much. Tonight, we were able to play the balls back and forth to each other and get a lot of girls involved, so it was a great thing.”

Carrigan O’Connor and Claire Gaarde teamed up to put the first goal on the board in the 27th minute.

O’Connor, a senior in her first season with the Regals varsity team, found Gaarde wide open in the middle of the field.

“My team has been very helpful, always giving me that communication when I need it,” O’Connor said. ”When I was coming down, Claire was yelling to me that she was there.”

“I was pretty confident (that she would convert), Claire has always been really good on the field and she can handle the ball fairly well. I have confidence in all my players and team.”

Seven and a half minutes into the second half, Claire Conlon took a drop pass and launched a shot high over the head of the West Branch keeper.

“I usually try to go to the back corner and then if it goes far wide, someone can be there to shoot it in,” Conlon said. “There’s always a chance for a rebound too.”

There was no rebound to be had this time as the ball found the far corner of the net.

There was no let down in play for West Branch after surrendering the spectacular goal.

Jaylen Votroubek pulled the Bears back within one less than four minutes later, assisted by Madison Hovancik.

“You’ve got to be proud of them, I don’t think we got down,” West Branch coach Greg Seydel said.  We came back, we scored. I looked at them and I gave them the heart sign. I told them that’s what we live by this year. We have an indominable spirit, that’s our theme.”

West Branch finishes the first season in program history 2-10, highlighted by an 8-2 win over Anamosa. West Branch had a 5-0 win in a scrimmage with Tipton, but the first official victory came on May 6 with a 2-1 win over Cedar Valley Christian.

“I can’t be prouder,” Seydel said. “I hate to see the year end, but we improved and we had fun.”