The Salem Wildcats historic soccer season came to an end last night at the Effingham Sectionals as they fell to Litchfield 3-2. Salem trailed 1-0 at the halftime break and 2-0 lead with 20 minutes left in the game when senior captain Payton Gullion broke down the defense to score the first goal. After the Panthers would add another, Gullion would score again with 5 minutes left to set up an intense final 5 minutes that saw the Cats threaten but couldn’t equalize. The season ends at 11-11-and-1 with the team’s first ever regional championship.
Litchfield advances to Friday’s final where they will play Hillsboro after they eliminated the host Hearts last night 3-1.
Also in 1a, defending state champion Columbia fell at home to Father McGivney 1-0. Althoff had no issue in the other semifinal beating Gibault 5-0.
In 2a at Alton, Waterloo shutout Jacksonville 2-0 and Triad beat Glenwood 3-2.
In 3a at Edwardsville, the hosts fell to O’Fallon 1-0 and Moline beat Minooka 1-0.
