Hastings High's Bailey Petzoldt goes for a save against
Gretna during their Class B state semifinal game May 12,
2012, in Omaha.
While the spring soccer season technically starts today, the members of the Hastings High girls soccer team might argue that their season started with a rally cry 306 days ago.
That's when the team fell just short of a spot in the Class B state championship game. After earning the program's first victory in the state tournament against Platteview, the Tigers went to battle against Gretna. The defensive game wasn't decided until the shootout, where the eventual state champion Dragons earned the 1-0 victory May 12, 2012.
Head coach Chris Pedroza said that in the moments after the heartbreaking loss, the team had already shifted its focus to this season.
"The group said that we want to come back again next year and be able to win these first two games," he recalled. "We came so close in the second one, taking the state champions to penalty kicks. That was huge for us. We demonstrated that we could compete with those tough teams in Class B."
To read more, see Thursday's Hastings Tribune or the Tribune e-edition.>>>
