Hudson Boys Beat Denver, Fall To Western Christian In Substate Final

By Kevin Yoder  

Photo by Josh Culham 

The Hudson boys soccer team hosted Denver in a second round matchup, marking the third time  the conference foes faced off this season. Hudson took the first two games 2-1 and 8-0.  

The Pirates started fast once again and made sure the third game went the way of the second,  defeating Denver by a score of 9-2.  

Anderson Yoder paced the Pirate scoring with four goals. Austin Kliegl had a pair of goals,  highlighted by his first penalty kick of the season. Single shots came off the feet of McCoy Yoder, Carter  Weide and Jacob Culham to round out the scoring. Assists came from Rylan Fogt, Aaden Myhr, Anderson  Yoder and two from Weide.  

The win advanced the Pirates to the substate final and a matchup with 6th-ranked Western  Christian. The Wolfpack and Pirates had never met in soccer, and the game was moved to a neutral site at  Buena Vista University in Storm Lake.  

The game was a back-and-forth battle throughout. However, Hudson struck first following a  beautiful passing sequence, ending with Mason Fogt sliding a ball wide to Carter Weide. Weide ripped a  left-footer past the keeper for a 1-0 lead.  

That advantage lasted only a few minutes before the Wolfpack evened the score at 1-1. That score  took both teams to halftime, and stayed true during the entire second half. At the end of regulation with  the score knotted at one, both teams entered their first sudden victory overtime session of the season. 

Hudson began overtime with momentum and a pair of near misses in the box. But as time wound  down to the two minute mark, Western Christian was able to put a header on a cross in front of the goal,  and deflect it in for the game winner. 

Head coach Connor Wrage had these thoughts on the game. “I am extremely proud of the guys.  We proved a lot of people wrong. It was not the outcome we wanted, but we can hold our heads high  knowing we had another amazing effort and left everything on the pitch. Tough times don’t last, but tough  people do, and Hudson will be back.” 

The 2-1 loss ends the Pirates season with a record of 12-4-1, and brings to a close the successful  careers of seniors Jacob Culham, Mason Fogt and Anderson Yoder. The trio won 52 games in their four  years in navy. Wrage knows they will be missed. 

“This group was special,” he reflected. “Through their heart, drive and love for the game, these  seniors have created a culture for the rest of the players to carry forward. They will always have a special  place in our heart and left a legacy for Hudson soccer.”