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 There's plenty of state tournament experience – and familiarity – among the four teams in the field for the WIAA Division 2 state boys soccer tournament. One semifinal pits the two teams that have met in the state final each of the past two years, two matches that weren't decided until the second overtime.
On the other side of the bracket are two teams that lost in the semifinals last fall in their state debuts, meaning Saturday's championship game is guaranteed to have a first-time finalist.
Here's a look at the four teams shooting for the Division 2 title at Time Warner Cable Stadium this weekend at Milwaukee's Uihlein Soccer Park.
Schedule
At Uihlein Soccer Complex, Milwaukee
Live stream: www.foxsportswisconsin.com
Friday, Oct. 28
Semifinals
Mount Horeb (18-2-2) vs. Sturgeon Bay (21-2-1), 1 p.m.
Appleton Fox Valley Lutheran (17-6-3) vs. Waukesha Catholic Memorial (17-5-1), 3 p.m.
Saturday, Oct. 29
Championship
Semifinal winners, noon
Mount Horeb Vikings
Coach: Mark Newman, 14th season (208-91-28).
Record: 18-2-2 (3-0-2 Northern Badger Conference, first). Last 10 games: 10-0-0.
Averages: Goals for – 4.32. Goals against – 0.68. Shutouts: 11.
Final WSCA ranking: Not ranked.
State tournament history: Second overall appearance and second in a row. Lost to Waukesha Catholic Memorial 3-0 in semifinals last year.
From the touchline: Both of the Vikings' losses came to ranked Division 1 teams, 4-0 to state semifinalist Middleton in their season opener on Aug. 16 and 2-0 to Madison West a week later. ... Since then, Mount Horeb is unbeaten in 18 games (16-0-2) and hasn't allowed more than one goal in any match. ... The Vikings have scored four goals or more 11 times, including all four playoff games – they've outscored postseason opponents 26-3. ... Senior forward Patrick Ruhland, the program's career leading scorer, has 33 goals and 17 assists this season. Seniors Aaron Fargo (19-21) and Nick Gasser (11-12) and junior Connor DeHaven (14-11) also play key roles in the Mount Horeb attack. ... Seniors John Sielaff (0.65 goals-against average, three shutouts) and Peter Hefty (0.72, eight) both have seen significant time in goal.
Sturgeon Bay Clippers
Coach: Todd Maas, third season (64-9-2).
Record: 21-2-1 (15-1-0 Packerland Conference, first). Last 10 games: 7-2-1.
Averages: Goals for – 5.00. Goals against – 0.83. Shutouts: 13.
Final WSCA ranking: Not ranked.
State tournament history: Second overall appearance and second in a row, but first in Division 2. Lost to Racine Prairie School 2-0 in the Division 3 semifinals last year.
From the touchline: The Clippers started the season with 14 consecutive wins before a 3-0 loss to Division 1 Appleton West on Sept. 24. ... Their only other setback was 4-3 to Wrightstown in a conference match on Sept. 26, and they've won seven in a row since then – including a 3-2 victory over second-ranked Green Bay Notre Dame in the sectional finals. ... Sophomore forward Reid Stevenson (28-8), senior midfielder Ben Felhofer (17-14) and junior forward Zach Owens (20-5) lead an attack that features six players with at least nine goals and has scored more than five goals on 13 occasions. ... Junior David VanDreese (0.79 gaa, 12 shutouts) is the goalkeeper, succeeding his brother, Nick, now a freshman on the University of Wisconsin men's team.
Appleton Fox Valley Lutheran Foxes
Coach: Erich Schaser, 13th season (186-89-35).
Record: 17-6-3 (8-0-0 Eastern Valley Conference, first). Last 10 games: 7-1-2.
Averages: Goals for – 3.12. Goals against – 1.35. Shutouts: Nine.
Final WSCA ranking: Fifth.
State tournament history: Third overall WIAA appearance and third in a row. Advanced to the state final in first two appearances and played Waukesha Catholic Memorial in double-overtime matches both years, winning 1-0 in 2009 and losing 3-2 in 2010.
From the touchline: Following a 5-5-1 start, the Foxes are 12-1-2 in their past 15 matches. ... Five of their six losses were against Division 1 opponents. ... Fox Valley Lutheran has scored four or more goals 13 times, but also has been shut out six times – including the sectional final against Amery. ... Junior keeper Mason Wilz made one save in the shootout as the Foxes advanced to state 5-3 on penalty kicks. Wilz (1.42 gaa, 10 shutouts) has played all but 35 minutes between the posts. ... Seniors Teffie Joyce (15-13) and Josh Rieth (14-8) and junior Alec Noffke (11-11) are integral offensively.
Waukesha Catholic Memorial Crusaders
Coach: John Bisswurm.
Record: 17-5-1 (4-3-0 Classic 8 Conference, tied for third). Last 10 games: 8-2-0.
Averages: Goals for – 3.70. Goals against – 1.22. Shutouts: 11.
Final WSCA ranking: First.
State tournament history: Seventh WIAA appearance, including each of the past six years. Won first WIAA state title last year, beating Appleton Fox Valley Lutheran 3-2 in double overtime. State runner-up in 2007, '08 and '09.
From the touchline: All five of the Crusaders' losses have come against Division 1 teams, including state semifinalists Neenah and Kettle Moraine. ... Forward Aaron Horvat, who spent some time training at German club Bayer Leverkusen during the summer, is a central part of a veteran attack that also includes fellow seniors Mark Samuel (11-14), Nick Muelder (8-7) and Mitchell Krismer (6-9). ... Horvat scored twice in the state semifinals last season and added two assists in the final – McNulty, Krismer and current senior Ryan Allen scored in the championship game. ... Junior Ryan Zingsheim (1.05 gaa, 10 shutouts) is the starting keeper for Catholic Memorial, which knocked off fourth-ranked East Troy 3-2 in the sectional semifinals.
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