[ The Shawnee Heights boys soccer team was off to a perfect 3-0 start

The Shawnee Heights boys soccer team was off to a perfect 3-0 start in the Centennial League, but Washburn Rural reminded the T- Birds who the eight-time defending league champions are with a late game-tying goal on Tuesday night.

Washburn Rural captain Cole Copeland drilled a penalty kick with less than five minutes remaining to knot the game at a goal apiece. That score held through two overtimes, as the Junior Blues managed a road draw at Shawnee Heights.

"It was of great importance to have at the very least a tie," said Rural head coach Lionel Suarez. "Because we still have hopes of winning the league again if we can beat everyone else."

A Rural loss would have put the Thunderbirds in the driver's seat, but the tie leaves the Junior Blues to control their own destiny as they chase their ninth straight league title.

The streak nearly ended in regulation, until Copeland made a run down the left flank in the closing minutes.

"I tried to cut it inside the defender," Copeland said. "He stepped in front, and I tried to squeeze through. They smashed into me and I went down in the box to get the penalty kick."

Copeland leveled the score and sent the game to overtime. Rural dominated for much of the extra frames, missing their best chance when Copeland couldn't quite reach a ball that was rolling across an empty goal mouth.

Shawnee Heights took the lead in the 52nd minute, when junior Kevin Walter deposited a 20-yard shot from the right side into the opposite side of the goal to open the scoring.

"I just turned and shot it," Walter said. "The wind probably helped it a little bit."

The Junior Blues fought through the prevailing wind to control a majority of the game, as indicated by a 29-10 shot advantage overall, but Rural couldn't find the net in overtime.

Washburn Rural (2-2-1, 0-0-1) 0 1 0 --- 1 Shawnee Heights (4-2-2, 3-0-1) 0 1 0 --- 1 Washburn Rural --- Goal: Copeland (PK).

Shawnee Heights --- Goal: Walter.

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