Booters roll into postseason

• Sid Young goes airborne

Wildcat sophomore Sid Young goes airborne to get by a Rice Lake defender in the second half of the Cats’ 3-1 victory over the Warriors Thursday at Wildcat Field. River Falls earned the third seed in the 16-team WIAA Regional which began this week. Bob Burrows photo

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The Wildcat boys’ soccer team ended the regular season on a high note with a 3-1 victory over Rice Lake Thursday at Wildcat Field.

The victory avenged a 3-2 loss to the Warriors earlier this season and was the Wildcats’ third straight win. They enter this week’s WIAA Regional winners of eight of their last nine games.

The Cats were awarded the third seed in the 16-team regional and opened the postseason at home against No. 14 Superior on Tuesday. A win would give them another home game Thursday, Oct. 14, against either No. 6 Rhinelander or No. 11 Hudson. Check the Journal online at www.riverfallsjournal.com for Tuesday’s results.

In their final regular season game last week against Rice Lake, the Wildcats found themselves trailing early before a Zane Heinselman goal sent the teams into halftime tied, 1-1.

River Falls took the lead for good when Nolan Hartleben sent a free kick from near midfield down to the edge of the penalty box. A Rice Lake defender tried to clear the ball with his head but it bounced over the Warrior goalkeeper’s hands and into the net. Hartleben was credited with the goal and the Cats had a 2-1 lead.

Heinselman added a penalty kick in the 65th minute to make the final 3-1.

Tags: sports, prep, wildcats, soccer