Times Observer photo by Steve Younger Eisenhower’s Easton Fitzgerald, right, heads a ball away from an Iroquois player during Wednesday’s Region 4 boys soccer game in Russell.

By STEVE YOUNGER

sports@timesobserver.com

RUSSELL — The Eisenhower boys soccer team lost a Region 4 heartbreaker Wednesday, falling to Iroquois 2-1.

The game was a tale of two halves and close shots as all of the scoring happened during the first 40 minutes.

Iroquois got on the board first at the 12:43 mark when Zachary Thomas hit a shot just below the crossbar to make it 1-0. The Braves added another goal four minutes later when Hunter Chew lined a shot to the right corner of the net to give the Braves a 2-0 lead with eight minutes remaining in the half.

The Knights’ Bryceton Wilkins found the back of the net with 2:47 remaining before intermission to make it 2-1, which would hold up the rest of the way.

Both teams were aggressive in their attempts to score after the break, but strong defense kept the ball out of the net for both teams.

“This one hurts,” Eisenhower head coach Mike Taylor said. “That second half was as good as we have played all season, but we just didn’t get the breaks. I’m really proud of the effort all of the boys gave today. Just a tough, tough loss.”

GIRLS

EISENHOWER TIES PORT ALLEGHENY

Eisenhower played to a 1-1 double-overtime tie with Port Allegheny.

Samantha Childs scored the lone goal for the Knights.