By Troy Sparks

Brookfield – Getting back to state for the second straight year with their aggressive play, experience and a lucky break was how second-seeded Brookfield East beat top-seeded Menomonee Falls, 2-0, Oct. 22, in the WIAA Division 1 soccer sectional final game at Brookfield Central.

The match between the two Greater Metro Conference foes was very intense.  The head coaches from both teams disputed some questionable calls from the head referee.  One of the calls erased a potential game-tying goal for the Indians.

“I think the biggest disappointment on our side was when you take a goal away that was an obvious goal and you take it out of the kid’s hands,” Falls coach Scott Stein said.  “I was out of my (coaches) box actually in front of where Connor (Young) lined up.  There was no way that he was off-sides.  He ran from 20 (yards) out.  You take that away, and the head referee had a chance to overrule that.  You take it away from the kids.”

Young beat East’s Kevin Kashian to the net for what would have been the game-tying goal in the 63rd minute.  The Spartans led 1-0 at that point.  It was ruled that the sophomore was off-sides, which wiped out the goal.

“The linesman was there,” said East coach Herbert Dundun.  “It’s part of the rules of the game.  If it was off-sides, then it’s off-sides.  It’s better when the guy is right on the line.”

That was the backbreaker for Falls, which swung the momentum East’s way and allowed them to score an insurance goal with a little more than 7 minutes remaining in regulation.

In the 13th minute of the first half, East senior Mark Heydt ran down the left side of the field 10 yards from the end line and delivered a crossing pass to senior captain Peter Tongas, who charged down the middle of the field unmarked and headed the ball in the net to give them a 1-0 lead.

“I didn’t exactly know that he was going to be there,” Heydt said.  “When I saw that Tongas was in there, I just kind of knew that (if) Tongas gets the head on (the ball), it was going in the back of the net.”

Added Dundun, “The cross was beautiful, and the run into the box was great and the finish was great.”
   
Tongas was unmarked in the penalty area, which is why he got a head on the ball and put it in.  “I think what happened,” Stein said, “was that we got beat on the side.  We had three guys (on defense) on their one (on offense).  We dove in, and we knew that Tongas was going to be sent through.  He’s running from 35 out.  And he’s a good player, and it was a great finish.”

After the East goal, the Indians got more physical and marked their men the rest of the game.  Two yellow cards were given for each team.  Kashian was caught kicking the leg of Falls senior forward Skyler Hying and got one of the yellow cards.  Aaron Patterson received the other one for Falls for unsportsmanlike conduct.

The Indians had some chances in the game to score, but the ball didn’t go in.  “That’s the way the game goes,” said Falls assistant coach Mike Eastman.  “Sometimes they go in and sometimes they don’t.”

East (21-4) scored their second goal at the 72 minute, 57 minute mark of the second half on a rebound header by John Orgovan off a shot by Tongas that hit the top post.  The Spartans are using their experience in the state tournament from a year ago to make a run at the state title.

“I’m glad that we’re going back with some experience,” Dundun said.  “We were there last year.  Hopefully there won’t be some initial nervousness.  We just go and play the game that we know how.”

It was a disappointing end to the end of the Indians’ season and one that saw them as one of the area’s best teams.  “I’m really proud of my guys the way they battled,” Stein said.  “There are 12 seniors on our team.  We tied a school record for wins (20).  We remained in the top seven all year, and I’m just proud of the way they battled, and we’re going to miss them.”

Falls finished the season at 20-5-2.  Their 5-2 record in the conference was good for third place.  The Indians had only 1 shot on goal to 8 for East.  The Spartans led in corner kicks, 6-4.  Falls goalkeeper Cole Morris had a save for the Indians.