Second-half goal powers Broncos over Tigers

Carver Gerstberger's goal in the 57th minute of play was all Spring Hill needed to advance past Fort Scott, 1-0, in Class 4-3-2-1A Regional Soccer play at Ellis Park Monday evening.

The Broncos (7-10), the sixth seed in the eastern brackets, will play again Thursday night, location and opponent to be determined. The season ends for the Tigers (8-8-1).

The pace of the game was up and down and control went back and forth between two teams which seemed evenly matched. When the Tigers defeated the Broncos in Spring Hill on September 23, it was also by a 1-0 score.

There were points where each team controlled play but more often than not, the teams played back and forth in the middle third of the field as both defenses were able to hustle back and cover any downfield passes.

Spring Hill had the first two genuine chances to score. Garrett Boyd's 16th-minute shot hit the crossbar and his 22nd-minute charge toward goal was headed off by Fort Scott goalkeeper Jessie Hodge.

The best chance in the first half for the Tigers came during the 24th minute when Jonah Jones' shot went over the crossbar.

Moments before halftime, there was a unnerving incident when Fort Scott's Weston Woodring and Spring Hill's Michael Werlein bumped heads trying to head a pass. Both went down but Werlein got right back up. Woodring stayed down for a minute or so before going out of the game. He would not return to the contest as a matter of caution.

The Tigers had another chance to get on the board in the 47th minute as Jones' free kick was deflected over to Andrew Rogers, whose shot just missed.

Marcus Brennon tried to head the ball in during the 54th minute but Spring Hill goalie Jac Spradling caught it out of the air.

Gerstberger's goal came when he collected a pass made across the goal square by teammate Bradley Bink and snuck it into the left side of the net before Hodge could react.

The Tigers put together several attacks in the next five minutes but all were turned away. Brennon had a short free kick go to Jones in the 58th minute but the shot was deflected by a Spring Hill defender. Jones took a free kick himself in the 62nd minute, which Spralding saved.

Noe Diaz took a corner kick from Jones in the 63rd minute but his attempt to steer it in was blocked by another Broncos defender.

The Broncos tried to get an insurance goal as a pair of close calls were turned away in the last 12 minutes.

Shots were nearly even with Spring Hill going for goal 13 times to 14 for the Tigers. The Broncos were also not derailed despite committing 15 fouls, more than twice as many as the Tigers.

On the other side of the bracket, Paola was to play at Columbus Monday night. The winner of that match will play at Independence today against the Bulldogs. Spring Hill will face the winner of today's game, most likely at Independence as the highest seed can host the next round even if its team is not playing in the match.

Coffeyville defeated Riverton, 2-0, Monday in other Regional play.

Goalkeepers

SH -- Jac Spradling (9 saves). FS -- Jessie Hodge (3 saves).

Scoring

SH -- Carver Gerstberger (Bradley Bink), 57th min.