Bulldogs outlast Tigers in penalty kicks to win second straight regional title

URBANA — It was only fitting that a game with a scoreless regulation and two scoreless overtime periods end with 13 players finding the back of the net in a championship-deciding shootout.

The first 12 players to approach the line buried their shots. Urbana junior Jayden Leman’s attempt in the seventh round sailed just high, meaning all Mahomet-Seymour freshman Kade Smith had to do was make his to end the game. He did just that, tucking it in the right side past a diving Jevan Juday, and the Bulldogs escaped Blackman Field with the Class 2A Urbana Regional title, becoming back-to-back regional champions.

“Lots of stress,” M-S senior goalkeeper Hayden Litteken said of the emotions that came with that game. “But at the end of the game, lots of joy. So much joy. The team has put in so much hard work, and we deserve this. Just a great game.”

It sure didn’t look like second-seeded M-S (16-7-2) was going to come out as a winner through regulation. Third-seeded Urbana (11-9-1) controlled the possession battle and kept the ball on the offensive side of the field for what felt like the entire 80 minutes, resulting in numerous scoring chances.

The only problem was none of them were going in. Whether it was Winner Nana shooting a 30-yard free kick just two feet above the crossbar, Anthony Becerril splitting the uprights of the football goalposts behind the net after finding some open space or Lemex Ondongo firing a bullet of a corner kick right at Litteken, among many other opportunities, the Tigers simply couldn’t find the back of the net.

“It’s frustrating,” Kowalski said. “We played a hell of an ending to the season, but at the end of the day, it’s soccer. The goal is the same size every day. We just got unlucky, and it wasn’t our day. Nothing fell our way.”

Part of it came down to unlucky breaks for Urbana. Part was Litteken, who made countless clutch saves throughout the game, and M-S’ defense stepping up when needed.

“We talked all week about how this week could be our last week, and the seniors were the ones who stepped up and created the energy we had,” M-S coach Kerry Lippold said. “Brody Back and Ian Dobrucki, our two center backs, and Hayden Litteken were the base of everything. They were shutting things down all day and just creating energy. We would be in a very different place without those players.”

The Tigers finally got a ball past Litteken 30 seconds into overtime, but a foul negated the goal and kept zeros on the scoreboard.

Meanwhile, the Bulldogs only had two serious scoring threats all game. The first came in the 47th minute, when Chris Bowie got stuffed by an Urbana defender right in front of the net. The second was in the fourth minute of overtime, when Preston Sriver’s corner kick ricocheted off of multiple feet before the Tigers ultimately kicked it away. Even though M-S’ chances weren’t coming as often as Urbana’s, the Bulldogs stayed positive and built more and more belief as the game stayed scoreless.

“That’s something I love about this team is the heart and grit to finish those final minutes,” Lippold said. “Especially for the seniors, if this is your last 10 minutes, all it takes is 10 seconds to score a goal. Soccer changes in a heartbeat, and bounces go one way or the other. I just try to keep the boys’ heads up, and they lead themselves.”

It came down to penalty kicks, and the Bulldogs made all seven of theirs, thanks to Ian Dobrucki, Colin Jackson, Travis Hoffman, Noah Crane, Ezekiel Beyer, Sriver and Smith. The Tigers made their first six — courtesy of Fortunel Nana, Matthew Bodony, Emir Martinez, Fidany Mukadi, Becerril and Winner Nana — but missed the seventh, and that’s all it took.

In the postgame huddle, Kowalski told his players how proud he was of them and how they have no reason to hang their heads. Urbana had only five seniors this year, Kowalski’s first group he’s seen all the way through high school, and started six sophomores. It was a learning curve, and while the goal was still to come away with a regional plaque, just getting to the final was a huge accomplishment.

“I can’t be more proud of this group,” Kowalski said. “It was a special year for me. It was nice to see them grow up as players and as men. I had them when they were 14, and now, they’re seniors and going off to college in a couple months. I couldn’t be more proud. It just stings to end like this, but the future’s bright.”

M-S also has a young team this season, much different than the 2023 Bulldogs. Last year’s team had all-time leading goal-scorer Nolan Wheeler as well as All-State selections Isaac Warren and Mikiah Jones. On top of losing them, seven-year coach Jeremy Davis stepped down. All signs pointed toward a rebuilding year, but the Bulldogs had other plans in mind.

“It’s about adapting to that team mentality,” Lippold said. “If one of us wins, we all win. If one of us fails, we all fail. They really take that to heart and know that we’re a team, and we win or lose as a team.”