Ryan Murken

Your Prep Sports

DES MOINES – Regina has played in the state championship match eight times in the past 15 seasons.

For the second consecutive season the Regals missed reaching the title match by the slimmest of margins.

Third-ranked North Fayette Valley got the game-winning goal from junior Brody Schupbach with 4:06 remaining in the second overtime period to stun second-ranked Regina 1-0 in a Class 1A state semifinal on Friday evening at Drake Stadium in Des Moines.

“They are a good team,” Regina coach Rick Larew said. “They are very athletic and opportunistic team and they sort of showed us what we expected and we had some good opportunities and I think sometimes we were a little hesitant to take some opportunities that could have been successful.”

The 16 goal of the season by Schupbach came from right in front of the goal and sends North Fayette Valley (17-3) to the state title game for the first time in program history.

The Tigerhawks will take an eight-match winning streak into the 1A championship match against Van Meter (16-5) on Saturday at 4 p.m. at Mediacom Stadium.

Van Meter defeated West Liberty 2-0 in the first 1A semifinal on Friday.

Regina had a five-match winning streak stopped with the loss and closed the season 16-4.

It was the second consecutive semifinal loss for Regina which fell to eventual champion Western Christian in a penalty kick shootout in last year’s 1A semis.

“I am very pleased, I couldn’t be more proud of the guys,” Larew said. “I wish we won, I think that kids did what we asked of them. They were all doing what we asked of them.”

16^th goal of the season with 4:06 remaining in the second overtime

The game was scoreless for more than 95 minutes but was a back-and-forth affair from the beginning with each team mounting potential scoring opportunities.

North Fayette had perhaps its best scoring chance in the opening minute but senior Lincoln Aeschliman couldn’t put a shot away from inside eight yards.

It ultimately was Schupbach who came up with the only offense of the match when he slammed in the game winner with 4:06 remaining in the second overtime.

“We lost the ball too often in the middle of the field and gave them opportunities,” Larew said. “We created opportunities, they took advantage of our mistakes and that’s to their credit.”

Regina had several opportunities of its own late.

Quinn Warren had a free kick from just outside the box following a Tigerhawk foul with 8:30 remaining in the first overtime saved by North Fayette Valley keeper Trey Frieden.

Senior Jack Hoover beat a defender into the box a shot from the left side of the box with 3:56 left in the first overtime.

The shutout was the 15^th of the season for North Fayette Valley and marked just the second time this season Regina was shutout.

“That’s a good team, very athletic, very opportunistic but I thought we were going to get one,” Larew said. “I really thought we were going to get one.”

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