Shoot-out decides men’s soccer final

It’s fitting that the local men’s soccer league final ended up being the best game of the season.
“It’s fair to say it was the best game out there all year long,” said Jorge Ruppenstein, who plays for Taggs, which eked out a narrow win over Gillons’ in a game decided by penalty kicks.
“It was an excellent game.”
Taggs was up against Gillons’ for the men’s title Saturday night. Though initially scheduled for 4 p.m., the game was changed to 6 p.m. to accommodate both teams better.
The game featured seesaw action all evening, with each team answering the other when scored upon.
“It went back and forth,” said Ruppenstein. “We traded goals.”
Mike Webb opened the scoring for Taggs but was quickly answered by a goal from Gillons’ Jeremy Wilson.
Webb then netted his second of the night, restoring Taggs’ one-goal lead, but Adam McTavish quickly netted one to even the score at 2-2.
After Chris Wiedenhoeft put Taggs out in front yet again, it was Gillons’ forward Matt Basaraba who hit the twine to knot the game—this time at 3-3.
Not one to break the trend, Josiah Morris struck for Taggs later in the second half, giving them the advantage once again. But with less than five minutes left, Adam McTavish headed one in to send the game to penalty kicks.
Taggs went first in the shoot-out session, scoring on a kick off the foot of Jeff Campbell. But Gillons’ responded, as they had all night, with a goal by Basaraba.
Taggs’ second shot came from Thor Ruppenstein, which was saved by the Gillons’ keeper. Then Gillons’ took the lead for the first time in the game when McTavish netted another goal.
Morris evened it up for Taggs with a goal on their third penalty kick—and it stayed that way as Gillons’ Tyler Barker failed to score on his shot.
Taggs promptly regained their lead when Simeon Nussbaumer scored. And that goal would become very important as Gillons’ fourth kicker, Kyle McTavish, failed to score as did Taggs’ fifth penalty shooter, Paul Danku.
Gillons’ fate would rest on the shoulders of their fifth kicker, Rick Chambers. But with the pressure on, Chambers missed the net with his attempt, giving Taggs the championship.
“‘Moose’ saved three kicks,” Jorge Ruppenstein said of Taggs keeper Greg “Moose” Wiedenhoeft, though adding he really only made two saves since the last shot missed the net.
He also added some jovial ribbing that his brother, Thor, was the one of the Taggs players who was stopped during the penalty kick session.
“It was nerve-racking,” “Moose” Wiedenhoeft said of being in goal for the penalty kicks.
Meanwhile, on the women’s side, Curves met Gillons’ on Monday night to clash for the title.
Though both teams were fairly well-matched, Gillons’ took an early lead in the first half with goals from Carling Barton and Laureen Cousineau.
In the second half, Curves had their chances but seemed to have trouble pulling the trigger—either missing the net with shots or not getting shots off at all.
Half way through the second half, Andrea Boileau helped Gillons’ clinch the title by netting a goal in close against Curves keeper Andrea Bell Perrault. Then later in the half, Cousineau netted her second of the night with a low shot from about 80 feet out.
Gillons’ took the women’s championship with the 4-0 shutout, but Curves’ player Rebecca Cornell, who had a good game Monday, took home the MVP award.
On the men’s side, Gillons’ keeper Greg Hammer earned the MVP award.