Originally uploaded by Zizzer Soccer.
The Zizzers and Vikings battled to a 3-3 Tie through 100 minutes of action Saturday morning. The game then went to a penalty kick shootout to decide the winner. The Zizzers prevailed 3-2 in the shootout. The first part of the game was back and forth as both teams were settling in. The Vikings settled in nicely and struck the first blow in the 18th minute. Across came from the right side, was redirected and then Leland Ekstamfired it in for a 1-0 Vikings lead. Eleven minutes later the Vikings struck again. This time Tim Griffin got the goal on a 15 yard shot from the right side of the box. Things weren’t looking good for the Zizzers, but that would change. Justin Scicluna carried the ball into the box and was taken down, but no foul was called. In the 35th minute, Scicluna made another run into the box and was again taken down. This time the Zizzers were awarded a penalty kick. Scicluna scored on the penalty kick (picture above) to cut the Parkview lead to 2-1. In the 40th minute, Scicluna gain had the ball. This time he found Brice Hunt at the top of the box. Hunt cut the ball past a defender and fired a shot into the goal to tie the game at 2-2.
After coming back to tie the game, the Zizzers continued to play with confidence. In the 53rd minute, the Zizzers took a corner kick that bounced around in the box. Finally, Michael Harrington headed the ball into the middle where Mike Moore put it in to give West Plains their first lead at 3-2. Both teams changed formations as Parkview pushed more players forward and West Plains pulled more players back trying to hold the lead. The Zizzers were successful for 25 minutes. Then in the 78th minute, Parkview won a corner kick. The ball was driven into the middle of the goal just outside the 6-yard box where Matt Beckett came flying in and headed home the tieing goal. The game would go to 2 ten-minute overtimes without a winner. A penalty kick shootout would decide the winner.
In the shootout, West Plains won the coin toss and elected to kick second. The first Parkview kicker shot wide to the left of the goal. Justin Scicluna was up first for the Zizzers. His shot was saved by Tyler Kutz. 0-0.
On the second Parkview kick, the ball bounced and appeared to be a goal, but Zach Auala dove and got his hands on the ball at the last second to push it wide of the goal. The second Zizzer kicker was Brice Hunt. His shot went in for a 1-0 Zizzer lead.
The third kicker for Parkview shot wide to the right of the goal. The Zizzers had a chance to go up by 2. Cody Townsend was up next. His shot hit the post and bounced out. 1-0 Zizzers.
The fourth kicker for Parkview was Jason Florez who put the ball past Zach Auala. Up next for the Zizzers was Logan Ray. His shot found the back of the net. 2-1 Zizzers.
The final kicker for Parkview was Tom Marlow. Marlow scored to tie it up 2-2. It would come down to Dustin Smith for the Zizzers. Dustin’s kick (picture above left) was good, giving the Zizzers a 4-3 win and their first appearance in the Viking Showdown Championship Game. The Zizzers improved to 9-0-1 on the season and will face Lebanon, who defeated Fulton 1-0 in Overtime in the other semifinal.
