Ten minutes into overtime, junior Cameron Yuetter sent a free kick to junior Ian Leighton, and after Leighton’s initial header, junior Collin Robidoux scored off of the rebound as the varsity boys’ soccer beat Orlando’s Lake Highland Prep 1-0 Wednesday. The victory allowed the defending state champion Wildcats to advance to the Class 2A Regional semifinal.

“We had to keep the intensity all the way through to the very end,” sophomore goalie Cooper Stein said. “They pressed hard and played aggressive the entire time, so the challenge was to stay focused the whole game.”

Robidoux added that the team had to play on turf and on a smaller field that it was used to.

“The game was challenging because we didn’t know what to expect having never played Lake Highland Prep this season,” Robidoux said. “The goal was definitely a confidence-booster, but it was all because of Cameron’s ball and Ian’s first header. I was just in the right place in the right time.”

Saturday night the boys will play Bishop Moore at home and kick off will start at 7 p.m.

“I feel like we have a very good chance of going far, and I think we have a good challenge in front of us,” Stein said.

Robidoux agrees.

“I’m confident about our team,” he said. “We’ve shown character when it matters, and now we have a chance at home Saturday to make it to the regional finals and one step closer to states.”

By Bailey Hetzel