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  • A Mankato West shot hits the post as St. Peter goal keeper Devin Idso lunges for the ball during the first half Saturday in St. Peter. West's Jacob Makela put the rebound in the net for the game's first goal. Pat Christman

    St Peter b soccer9-30.jpg

  • St. Peter's Marty Johnson (left) heads the ball away from Mankato West's Kennedy Maker during the first half Saturday in St. Peter. Pat Christman

    St Peter b soccer2_9-30.jpg

September 29, 2012

West slips past St. Peter 2-1

By Shane Frederick Free Press Staff Writer

ST PETER — With the arms of Nicholas Herwig and Kennedy Maker, the Mankato West soccer team believes it has a couple of extra weapons in its arsenal.

That’s right, their arms.

“Kennedy and Herwig are both good, strong throwers,” Scarlets coach Leonard Woelfel said. “We treat throw-ins just like corners. ... It’s an opportunity to score. ”

During Saturday’s 2-1 West victory, Herwig took advantage of St. Peter’s narrow football field — a regulation soccer pitch is about 10 yards wider than a football field — and made a perfect throw-in for sophomore Dillon Lambert, who headed it in for the game-winning goal.

Herwig’s throw, about 6 yards up from the end line, rainbowed over a scramble in the middle of the field to an open Herwig at the far post with about 18 minutes remaining in the game.

“Right over the sweeper’s head,” said Herwig, a senior defender.

While St. Peter’s field made it an easier throw, Herwig said both he and Maker will try the play on a regular field, such as the Scarlets’ home pitch at Dakota Meadows.

“When we get down in the box, we figure it’s just like a corner kick,” he said. “We throw it in and see what we can make of it. ... I like it; I can get it to the back post every time.”

West led 1-0 at halftime, getting a goal from eighth-grader Jacob Makela.

Makela put in the rebound after  teammate Kyle Sandmann’s cross hit the post and caromed into the middle.

“He was right there to put it in,” Woelfel said. “He was in the right spot at the right time.”

With a little less than 25 minutes remaining in the second half, St. Peter tied the game on a penalty kick by senior Luke Regner. The call came after the Scarlets were called for a foul in the box, and Regner fired his shot into the lower left-hand corner of the goal as keeper Sam Farley dived the other direction.

Farley made four saves in the nonconference victory.

St. Peter goalkeeper Devin Idso made five saves, including a nifty one against West striker Bill Leitch to keep it a 2-1 game with about 15 minutes to play.

“(Idso) has been playing well all season for us,” Saints coach Dave Borslien said. “He’s reading the play really well and stepping to balls. It’s nice to know we have a goalie back there that we can trust 100 percent when the ball is coming in.”

St. Peter (9-5-0) will play again Thursday when it hosts Fairmont. Mankato West (10-4-1) will travel to Owatonna on Tuesday.

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