Owen season ends in home playoff loss

Warhorses fall, 2-1 , to Foard in postseason opener

Fred McCormick
The Valley Echo
March 16, 2021

A March 16 return to the postseason ended in the first round for the Owen Warhorses.

The No. 6 seed Warhorses (8-2-1) hosted No. 11 seed Foard (11-2) in a physical contest to open the NCHSAA 2A soccer playoffs. The visiting Tigers came away with the 2-1 victory.

Owen returned to the playoffs this season after failing to qualify in 2019 for the time in head coach David Fiest’s tenure with the program. The Warhorses rebounded this season going 7-1 in the Western Highlands Conference and capturing a conference championship.

Foard, out of Newton, entered the contest with an 11-2 record and a second place finish in the Northwestern Foothills 2A Conference.

The Warhorses struck first against the Tigers when senior Brandon B.B. Rojas found the back of the net for a goal. Foard would tie it up, 1-1, before the half.

The second half opened with both teams battling for the advantage before a Tigers goal put the visiting team up for good. Fiest gathered his team on the field following the game and thanked them for their effort this season, which was moved from the fall to the early spring due COVID-19 restrictions.

A photo gallery of tonight’s playoff game can be found below.