SHERIDAN — It wasn’t their day.
The Sheridan High School soccer teams struggled to score and keep the ball out of their net in the region semi-final games at Home Scott Field.
The boys fell to Thunder Basin 3-0 Friday afternoon while the Lady Broncs lost 4-0.
The Bolts went ahead 1-0 before the half and scored a pair in the second half. The third and final goal was from further distance while as the others were feet from the goal.
The No. 3 seed Broncs split games with No. 2 seed Thunder Basin in the regular season. Sheridan was just a week removed from defeating the Bolts 2-0 on senior night. Yesterday’s game played out much differently.
“Our touch was off, or shape was off. It was still a fairly competitive game. Neither team had great opportunities. (Thunder Basin) just capitalized on it,” head coach Wade Kinsey said. “We changed formation to a more offensive formation to see if we can try to squeeze out a couple of goals. That left us a little more vulnerable in the back and they took advantage of it.”
Senior Mark Gilbert expressed there was miscommunication on defense and getting down early didn’t help any matter.
“Once they got the first goal, we kind of noticed that the morale slipped a little bit. It just kind of compounded from there. We have to make sure that gets straightened out of the gate, so we're on top of everything and marked up and don't let anybody slipped free. Because once one goes through, then it's a lot easier for the other team to get some momentum and get some more,” Gilbert said.
The Broncs did have prime scoring opportunities including a rocket shot from senior Mark Gilbert that rattled off the cross bar that came about 40 yards out.
Dane Steel used his speed on a breakaway but couldn’t manage to finish with a score.
Sheridan had control of the ball for 59% of the match but only had one shot on goal, compared to Thunder Basin’s eight.
Kinsey hopes for seized opportunities next week in the state tournament.
“I told the boys sometimes you have games like that, where you just can't get it all to click, and I'd rather it happen today than next week. We can come back from this one,” Kinsey said.
The hosting Broncs will compete in the third place game Saturday at Noon. The opponent was not available by print time.
Lady Broncs fall victim to undefeated squad
The Sheridan High School girls soccer team also lost to Thunder Basin, falling 4-0.
The Lady Bolt offense put Sheridan goaltender Kelanie Lamb to work as she stopped many, but couldn’t halt them all.
Thunder Basin scored three goals in the first half and added another later in the match.
The hosting Lady Broncs will compete in the third place game Saturday against No. 2 seed Laramie at 10 a.m.