Much-hyped match finishes in a draw

Arrowhead first state team to score on Central this season

BROOKFIELD - There are times when showdowns become letdowns. When hype and buildup are nothing more than hot air.

Saturday was not one of those nights.

Top-ranked Brookfield Central and No. 2 Arrowhead put on a show that left both girls soccer teams — and the large crowd at Central — clamoring for more.

The Lancers got a pair of goals from junior all-state forward Brandi Thomsen, while Arrowhead became the first team from Wisconsin to score against Central this season. The result was a thrilling 2-2 draw that left these potential postseason foes already talking about a rematch.

“These are the kind of games we all live for,” Thomsen said. “It was a lot of fun.”

The Lancers are now 7-1-1 with their only loss coming to a team from out of state. Arrowhead is 6-0-2.

Afterward, both teams viewed the tie through much different lenses.

Arrowhead, which is looking to reach the state tournament for the first time since 2000, believed it made a statement. The Warhawks grabbed an early 1-0 lead, rallied from a 2-1 deficit to even things by halftime, then had the better of play in the second half.

“We definitely matched them,” said Arrowhead coach Scott Asher, whose team has four Division 1 recruits. “I’m not going to say we were better than them, but we deserved the tie.”

Central entered the year as a prohibitive favorite to win its first state title since 2005. But the Lancers felt they had too many defensive lapses, which led to an unsatisfying draw.

“It feels like a loss,” Thomsen said. “We have really high expectations and we didn’t reach them. We did not play anywhere near where we could have.”

The Warhawks wanted to set the tone early and did just that when senior Maddie Wood sent a blast from 25 yards past Lancers keeper Sarah Pasternak just eight minutes into the game.

“Part of our game plan was to shoot from outside the box,” Wood said. “We thought that was one of the weaker spots where we knew we could score.”

Central evened things, 1-1, in the 11th minute when Thomsen scored on an assist from Caroline Busch.

In the 27th minute, Lancers junior forward Emma Staszkiewicz was knocked to the ground on a breakaway. Thomsen then converted the penalty kick to give Central a 2-1 lead.

Arrowhead tied it, 2-2, in the 34th minute when sophomore forward Cassidy Rothwell converted a header from 5 yards.

Both teams clamped down defensively in the second half, when scoring chances were few and far between.

“I think we’re really coming together and playing together as a unit,” Wood said. “And this was a good tie. It gives us confidence.”

That could come in handy down the road as Arrowhead and Central are in the same sectional, and seem likely to meet before the state tournament.

“To come here and test ourselves against the current best team in the state and match them, that’s where we want to live,” Asher said. “We’re just going to keep trying to be excellent.”

Which is exactly what this showdown was.