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Wildcats Excited To Be In Regional Final

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By MATTHEW POSTINS, Tribune correspondent

Published: February 8, 2008

Lately, the Montgomery twins have had Freedom's number - and that has led Wharton High into uncharted waters in the boys state soccer playoffs.

The Wildcats face Auburndale tonight in a 5A regional final, the first in Wharton boys soccer history.

Along the way, the Wildcats (15-5-2) beat the Patriots twice in 12 days, and both times one of the Montgomerys was a key player.

"We've never been to the regional finals," Matt Montgomery, a senior midfielder, said. "It's a big deal."

On Tuesday in the regional semifinals, with the contest approaching a shootout, Matt provided the winning goal in a 1-0 victory over the Patriots.

His twin brother, Scott, watched from the opposite goal as the winning shot transpired.

"I saw the kick go up from the corner, Matt jumped up above everyone and it floated into the net," Scott said. "I saw it float in, but we had been getting some offsides calls, so I was wondering if it would be called back. Then I heard the cheering."

The goal was Matt's ninth of the season.

Freedom was coming off a stunning upset of nationally-ranked Land O'Lakes in the regional quarterfinals. But at least one of the brothers had a feeling Wharton and Freedom would see each other again in the postseason after two closely-contested matches earlier this season.

"I was kind of expecting to see them again," Matt said. "The last match we had with them went down to penalty kicks."

That match, on Jan. 25, was for the Class 5A-District 8 championship. The Wildcats and Patriots dueled to a 1-1 tie and went to a shootout.

In this case, Scott played the role of hero, making two key saves in a 4-3 shootout win for Wharton.

And he relied on his brother for a scouting report on one of Freedom's key shooters.

"It was about Bobby Huertas," Scott said. "Matt was on his club team, so I figured I would ask him and see which way Bobby might shoot the ball. He said he'll go to his right. That's the way he went, and it made the save easier."

That save helped catapult Wharton to the district tournament title.

Scott - playing his first year on Wharton's varsity - allows just 1.3 goals per game and has five shutouts this season. But he doesn't see his soccer career continuing past high school when he attends Central Florida next year.

Matt is deciding between UCF and Penn State, and he said he might try to walk on to the soccer team at whichever school he attends.

That's why Wharton's playoff run is important to them.

This may be it for both of them.

"It would mean so much," Matt said. "I mean just for all the seniors. We have eight of them, and we don't want to lose and not have the season end with a state championship."

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