Matthew King hoists Will Gretzinger after Gretzinger placed a header into the back of the net to give the Hodags a 2-1 lead in the 64th minute. Bob Mainhardt photo

By Star Journal staff

The soccer regional tournament began for the Hodags in Waupaca Thursday night. The Hodags were the No. 5 seed and Waupaca the No. 4 seed. Waupaca scored first on a ball that bounced around in front of the net that the Hodags put in for the Comets. The Hodags scored off a corner kick that the Comets goalie got a hand on but could not corral and after a failed clearing kick the ball went to Asher Rivord’s foot and was put into the net to tie the score in the 29th minute.

The half ended with the score knotted at 1.  Waupaca controlled the ball for most of the game and the Hodags only had one shot on goal in the second half, a header by Will Gretzinger in the 64th minute that found the back of the net and gave the Hodags a 2-1 lead that held up to advance the Hodags to the regional final game Saturday against Mosinee in Mosinee. Bob Mainhardt photos.