Hollinger-Janzen's goal dooms Andrean boys soccer team

LAKEVILLE | The only time Andrean boys soccer team didn't mark up Femi Hollinger-Janzen, he made the 59ers pay dearly.

Hollinger-Janzen ripped a shot from 15 yards out past Andrean's Mike Croux in the 55th minute to give Bethany Christian a 1-0 win in a Class A regional championship at Newton Park on Saturday.

"It was the one time the whole match that we lost track of Femi," Andrean coach Pete Reist said. "It looked like two of our guys came out, got a little tangled, the ball came to him loose, and he was able to turn and get time to shoot. He does that very well."

It is the first regional championship in Bethany Christian's history.

Hollinger-Janzen -- committed to play at Indiana -- took a pass from Josh Stoltzfus, found some open space and took a left-footed shot that found the right corner of the net. It was his 25th goal of the season.

"You give him an opportunity, and he's just going to bury it," Bethany Christian coach Hank Willems said. "He's very poised and very patient, and then when he has his opportunity, he just goes hard."

Andrean (16-4) appeared to have tied the game five minutes later, but Mike Gore's goal was waved off after he was ruled to have crossed to the offensive attack zone offside.

"I don't understand it because the ball was played backwards and sideways. How the guy could kick the ball and be offside I don't know," Reist said.

Kyle Costa had a chance to tie with 13 minutes remaining, but his shot was deflected over the crossbar by Bethany Christian goalie Jeff Yoder.

The 59ers pressed to try for another chance in the last 10 minutes, but they could not open a good scoring chance.

Andrean attacked in the first 10 minutes of the match, but shots didn't pass Yoder, who finished with four saves for his ninth shutout of the season.

"We met a team who did a lot of the same things we do well, and they played harder at the beginning," Willems said, "and then I thought we settled down."

Bethany Christian (17-3-1), ranked No. 3 in Class A, put two shots off the crossbar in the first half, and also had two shots punched over the goal by Croux, who finished with five saves.

The Bruins had a 10-9 edge in shots and a 6-4 advantage in shots on goal.