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From triumph at home, to heartbreak in Hudson

Union-North Tama’s stellar season ends at regional semifinal

Senior Aubree Monat (second from left) is showered with hugs and congratulatory exclamations by her fellow Knights after booting in the first goal of the evening – putting the score at 1-0 – against the Hudson Pirates on May 24 during the Class 1A second-round regional game in Hudson. –Photo by Ruby F. Bodeker
Keeper Dacey Powell stops an attempt on the goal early in the game on May 24 against the Hudson Pirates. -Photo by Ruby F. Bodeker
Junior Jaiden Bush (left) moves the ball into Pirates' territory on May 24 during the Class 1A regional semifinal in Hudson. -Photo by Ruby F. Bodeker
Freshman Avery Knoop (10) works the ball downfield on May 24 in Hudson during the Class 1A regional semifinal. -Photo by Ruby F. Bodeker
Union-North Tama keeper Dacey Powell gives directions to her fellow teammates on May 24 in Hudson. -Photo by Ruby F. Bodeker
Sophomore Reagan Sorensen (14) dribbles the ball against Hudson on May 24 during the Class 1A second-round regional game in Hudson. -Photo by Ruby F. Bodeker
Union-North Tama's Gracie Rathe (15) works to keep the ball against the Hudson Pirates on May 24 during the Class 1A second-round regional game in Hudson. -Photo by Ruby F. Bodeker
Sophomore Dena Robb (21) executes a goal kick on May 24 in Hudson during the Class 1A second-round regional game. -Photo by Ruby F. Bodeker
Sophomore Charlie Keegan (1) dribbles the ball on May 24 in Hudson during the Class 1A second-round regional game. -Photo by Ruby F. Bodeker
Union-North Tama captain Aubree Monat (2) smiles as she watches to see if her goal attempt is successful on May 24 in Hudson during the Class 1A second-round regional game. -Photo by Ruby F. Bodeker
Members of the Union-North Tama girls soccer team hug on the field immediately following their loss to the Hudson Pirates on May 24 in Hudson during the Class 1A regional semifinal. -By Ruby F. Bodeker
Senior Alana Higgins (13) is congratulated by her teammates after popping in the first goal of the evening for the Knights – and Higgins’ first goal all season – against the Anamosa Blue Raiders on May 18, during the Class 1A first-round regional game in La Porte City. –Photo by Soren M. Peterson
Junior Jaiden Bush (9) takes a shot on the goal during the final minutes of the Union-North Tama win over the Anamosa Blue Raiders on May 18 in La Porte City. -Photo by Ruby F. Bodeker
Junior Jaiden Bush (center, back) is all smiles after scoring Union's third goal of the night on May 18 about halfway through the second half. Bush's goal was made possible after some scuffling back & forth at the net and several SOG from the Knights before it was booted out to Bush who sealed the deal, moving Union-North Tama ahead 3-2. -Photo by Soren M. Peterson
Ope! Couldn't stop that one. There was seemingly no stopping Union-North Tama's Molly Grote (left) & her impressive footwork on May 18, as she and her Knights teammates took on the Anamosa Blue Raiders - beating the Raiders, 4-2, & moving on to round 2 of substate. Grote scored the second goal of the evening for the Knights. -Photo by Ruby F. Bodeker
Freshman Avery Knoop (10) is airborne as she grapples for the ball on Wednesday, May 18, at home against Anamosa in the first round of Class 1A regionals. Knoop scored the Knights' fourth and final goal following a run down the field in the 4th Q. -Photo by Soren M. Peterson
Union-North Tama's Aubree Monat (left) moves the ball toward Anamosa territory on Wednesday, May 18, in La Porte City during the Class 1A first-round regional game. Monat repeatedly kept the ball from making its way past the midfield line - helping to hold the Blue Raiders to two goals for the night. -Photo by Soren M. Peterson

After winning a mere two games last season, making it to round two of the Class 1A regionals this year was a well-earned feat for the cohesive group of athletes that comprise the Union-North Tama girls soccer team led by their coach Leslie Redinbaugh.

During a rain-soaked, windy, cold, and sloppy evening in Hudson on Tuesday night, the Knights showed flashes of the tenacity they displayed during their round one regional game at home last Wednesday, May 18, where they dropped the Anamosa Blue Raiders, 4-2. But the Knights’ efforts just weren’t quite enough this time and in the second half – after keeping the score even 1-1 in the first – the Pirates led a runaway, wet freight train to victory, beating Union-North Tama 4-1 and advancing to the regional finals.

First Round

Union-North Tama advanced out of the Class 1A first-round regionals on May 18 by taking down the Blue Raiders in what was a truly spectacular second half.

In the wake of what coach Redinbaugh described as a “hesitant” first half – with the Knights down 0-1 going into the second – the team was reigKNIGHTed following halftime, scoring four goals & displaying a determined grit to keep the ball in Raider territory.

“I told them it really just comes down to heart – who will win the game is who wants it the most,” Redinbaugh said he told his players at halftime, spurring their comeback.

Sophomore Molly Grote’s intricate footwork kept Anamosa literally on their toes all night right up to the final seconds, while senior Alana Higgins got her first goal of the season after playing defense most of the year.

It was a fantastic night of soccer from Union-North Tama, with the team wholeheartedly showing “who we are tonight,” in the words of keeper Dacey Powell. Anticipation was high heading into round two.

Round 2

In facing No. 12 Hudson for the Class 1A Regionals second round, on paper, the Knights appeared to be the underdog with a 7-6 season record to the Pirates’ 10-2-1. In the first half, however, both teams were evenly matched echoing the first time the teams played one another this season back on April 21 – a game which ended with the Pirates winning 1-0 but only after playing two overtimes and beating the Knights in a shootout.

The first half this time around opened with possible jitters on Union-North Tama’s part. After a series of wild kicks with no clear passing strategy, keeper Powell could be heard telling her team – sporting their white away uniforms – “Composure, white!”

The team seemed to snap back into shape after that, with Powell stopping several attempts on the goal by the Pirates and captain Aubree Monat scoring the first goal of the night at about the second quarter mark, putting the Knights up 1-0. A few minutes later, Hudson answered back with a goal of their own leading to a tied game at the half.

Following the half – with the teams continuing to battle the wind which picked up and the drizzle which continued to pelt down – the Pirates experienced an injection of animation and caught fire on the field, scoring roughly seven minutes in, scoring again another seven minutes later, and then for a final time with 11 minutes remaining in the game.

As much as Union-North Tama’s Jaiden Bush, Grote, Avery Knoop, and Aubree Monat tried to hold the ball in Hudson territory, the Pirates were truly on a runaway wet freight train by the second half. The game ended with the Pirates beating the Knights, 4-1.

It was the last game of their high school careers for seniors Lizzie Borton, Alana Higgins, Aubree Monat, and Gracie Rathe. Monat, who plays for North Tama, summed up the team’s feelings in a statement to the Telegraph following the game.

“This season we showed people that we had a little more in us than they thought and we put up a good fight against quite a few teams. Our last game didn’t end how we wanted. Hudson played tough and we just didn’t get enough shots on goal,” Monat said before ending with, “I want to thank the Union soccer team for welcoming me with open arms.”

As the girls hugged on the wet Hudson field afterward – hopefully realizing how very far they had come from last season – it was hard to tell if all those wet faces were tears or the rain.

The Union-North Tama Knights end the 2021-2022 season with a 7-7 record, up from their 2020-2021 record of 2-13.