AUSTIN — The Pine Island/Zumbrota-Mazeppa boys soccer team was confident heading into its Section 2A final Thursday night.
How confident?
Well, according to PIZM junior Carter Christopherson, there was little doubt for what team was going to punch their ticket to the big dance.
“I knew that we could beat them,” junior Carter Christopherson said. “Just like this, 3-0.”
Christopherson netted a pair of goals — the first in the eighth minute — as top-seeded PIZM defended its Section 2A title with a dominating 3-0 victory over No. 2 St. Peter in the Section 2A Championship Thursday night at Art Hass Stadium in Austin.
Next, stop?
An opportunity to take care of unfinished business in the Class A state tournament where PIZM placed third in the program’s first appearance a season ago.
“Round 2,” senior Brandt Konik said. “We’re coming. We’re coming for first place this time.”
They will do so entering with a nine game win streak after the Wildcats (16-2) — oozing with confidence — set the tone early against the Saints (9-10).
Traci Westcott / Post Bulletin
Midfielders Benjamin Grogg, Brandt Konik and defensive mid Christopher Tree were simply great the whole game, controlling the center of the field and allowing runs to develop on the outside where the dangerous PIZM wings flagged them down.
They sent in cross and after cross, putting tremendous pressure on the Saints defense.
It resulted in a pair of goals with Christopherson sneaking in a shot between the arm and side of the goalkeeper in the eighth minute. Grogg finished off a Christopher Tree free kick with under 10 minutes left for the 2-0 halftime lead.
“You need to come out ready to play, because any team can win,” Konik said. “We came out ready and wanted it more. We had that energy. We worked together as a team to get this done.”
The third goal was a thing of beauty.
Brandt Konik was hit in stride with a nice through pass inside the left third of the box. Konik sent it back to the middle where Christopherson was waiting. He buried it with the left foot for his second goal of the night to give PIZM a 3-0 lead early in the second half.
“We wanted to keep the intensity,” coach Rafal Konik said. “That was very important. Communication. We did all of it. They did everything we told them. That’s beautiful for the coach to see the kids can execute the way you ask them to do.”
That was more than enough as there was little stress in the back end for PIZM. St. Peter just couldn’t connect enough passes and it wasn’t until late in the second half when subs were put in for PIZM that the Saints saw their best chances.
Jason Ryan was credited with making four saves for the Wildcats, who have allowed just 7 goals in 19 games.
Traci Westcott / Post Bulletin
PIZM will now wait for seedings to come out to see who and where they are playing in next week’s state tournament.
The Wildcats have been waiting for it.
“We talked about it every practice how wanted to be here,” Brandt Konik said. “We did it. We made it together as a team.”
