Chiefs grab Region IV title, extend winning streak to 19 matches. Waubonsee set to host Great Lakes District Championship
Waubonsee Community College’s Men’s Soccer team clearly does not believe in fairy tales. The Chiefs made sure this year’s Cinderella story ended early as Waubonsee knocked off sixth-seeded South Suburban College 3-0 to win the 2016 Region IV Division I Championship. The top-seeded Chiefs (19-0-1) scored all three goals in the first half on the way to extending their school-record winning streak to 19 in a row. It is the third Region IV title for Waubonsee in the program's history, having won in 1982 and 2013. Waubonsee will now host third-ranked Iowa Western Community College (18-1-1) in the Great Lakes District title match next Saturday, November 5, with the start time yet-to-be-determined. The District champion will advance to the NJCAA Division I National Championship Tournament in Tyler, Texas beginning November 14 at the Pat Hartley Soccer Complex. The Chiefs will be looking to advance to the National Tournament for the first time ever.
Waubonsee got on the scoreboard midway through the first half when Gustavo Mancera netted his first goal of the season with an assist from Jorge Sanchez. With seven minutes remaining in the half Sanchez was able to center a pass directly in front of the Bulldogs’ goal. Waubonsee’s Mario Rodriguez barely beat South Suburban keeper Antonio Castro to the ball before they collided. Somehow he poked the ball into the right corner of the net for his team-leading 21st goal of the season. Rodriguez was shaken up on the play and had to be helped off the field, but was able to return in the second half. Three minutes later the Chiefs shattered any visions the Bulldogs (10-10) had of finding a glass slipper when Jesus Chavez booked his first goal of the season with an assist from Ruben Moran.
Waubonsee proceeded to control the ball throughout much of the second half, limiting the comeback opportunities for South Suburban. For the match Waubonsee outshot the Bulldogs 8-2 and kept them on the defensive for much of the day. Chiefs’ keeper Paulino Mansera, who was third on the depth chart earlier in the season, was named the Region IV Tournament Most Valuable Player as he helped anchor the Chiefs’ defense. Mansera registered a pair of saves on the way to notching his eighth win and second shutout of the season in goal.
