University Heights Academy will play for the boys’ 2nd Region soccer championship after dispatching Webster County 3-1 in the semifinal round Tuesday night at the Stadium of Champions in Hopkinsville.
The Blazers (16-7) will face Henderson County (15-3-4) in Wednesday’s 6 p.m. championship match. The Colonels advanced with a 1-0 victory over Madisonville-North Hopkins in Tuesday’s other semifinal.
Hayden Hunt scored three goals on five shots to help UHA blaze a path into the regional final.
Hunt’s first goal came with 29:55 left in the first half. Cal Givens set up the score with a box into the box, where Hunt flicked it past the goalkeeper and into the net.
Hunt struck again at the 17:20 mark of the first half. Logan Miller sent the ball ahead to Hunt, who beat the keeper to the ball and had a wide-open goal in which to pass the ball as UHA went up 2-0.
Webster (9-11-2) got on the scoreboard late in the first half to gain some momentum going into the break. A hand-ball in the box gave the Trojans a penalty kick, and Pascual Alonzo hammered home the shot to make it 2-1 with 6:30 left in the half.
Hunt finished his hat trick with 27:59 remaining in the contest. Griffin McCoy chipped a pass in the box past the goalkeeper, and Hunt put the ball away in front of the net to extend the University Heights lead to 3-1.
The UHA defense kept Webster from getting many good looks the rest of the way as the Blazers kept their season alive.
Eli Finch had six saves in the University Heights net.
Harrison Warren recorded 12 stops for Webster.
UHA met Henderson County once during the regular season, but dropped a 7-0 decision on the road.
