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Wharton Prevails In 2 OTs

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By JARRETT GUTHRIE Tribune correspondent

Published: February 6, 2008

TAMPA - Wharton captain and midfielder Matt Montgomery had a hunch all day Tuesday that the Class 5A-Region 2 semifinal match between Wharton (15-5-2) and Freedom (20-6) would come down to whichever team scored the first goal. It took 94 minutes, but Montgomery was right as the senior took a corner kick from Will Hunt and headed in the sudden-death goal in the second overtime.

"I knew this would be a tough, emotional game," Montgomery said. "I had a feeling it would be a close game.

"In school today I was saying in my head all day this would be 1-0."

Regulation saw a wealth of strong defense from both teams as the front of both offenses failed to finish on opportunities.

Both had chances after the water break in the first half as Freedom had a free kick from Bobby Huertas from just outside 18 yards go wide to the left of the goal, and Wharton having a chance on a ball also wide on a shot by Joe Layton.

Although the shots on goal in regulation continued to stay fairly even, Freedom controlled a lot of the possession in the second half, but again shots were off target by both teams.

The first overtime saw few real chances for either team, with each having two shots on goal.

Wharton's goal came after a heady play from Wharton's Ryan Asare-Bediako, who sent the ball off a defender and out across the back line, setting up Hunt's corner kick to Montgomery.

"I just waited for it to be there and spiked it in," Montgomery said. "Man, it felt like I jumped extra high there."

After the match, Wharton coach Scott Ware said he was thrilled with the win but wished the game hadn't gone to golden-goal sudden death, because both teams had played so competitively in matches this season.

"The game wasn't scripted this way - no one wanted to go to golden goal," Ware said. "It feels great to win but I've been on the other side of that, too, and every time we play Freedom it's a coin toss and either team could win."

Ware said the win marked a milestone for Wharton.

"This makes history for Wharton soccer itself," Ware said. "I think we are 0-5 or 0-6 in the region semifinal; it was that hurdle we couldn't jump.

"It feels great for us and this does nothing but build confidence for our boys."
Wharton will host Auburndale on Friday at 7 p.m.

Correspondent Jarrett Guthrie can be reached at jguthrie@pop.tampatrib.com.

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