Luke Neltner was a little nervous Thursday.
But not too anxious. His penalty kick goal started Bishop Brossart on the way to a 2-1 win (4-2 in PKs) – and the boys 10thRegion title – over Montgomery County in Mount Sterling.
Brossart (16-7-1) thus won its second regional title in three years (the Mustangs took the trophy in 2023) and fourth in program history.
“I think this year, as a team, we played some of the best soccer I’ve seen in a long time,” Neltner said. “I’ve been a part of this program for, what, three years, and this is probably one of my favorite teams with connections and just how we moved the ball around.”
Neltner also scored the tying goal in the 65th minute, but Brossart’s season isn’t over because of goalkeeper Luke D’Alessandro. He thwarted two Montgomery County penalty kicks.
The Indians’ Roberth Pinzon opened the PK scoring by beating D’Alessandro to the lower left, and Neltner countered with a shot past Charles Hughes.
Neltner hesitated for a second before his shot.
“I was just super-nervous stepping up, but I have a spot that I go, and it’s to the right,” Neltner said. “And I know, if I just stick to what I know, all I can do is put it on frame. That’s where I go with my PKs, I’ve trained it, and that’s where I love to go.”
After D’Alessandro’s dive to his lower left denied Caleb Davidson, Ben Sweeney beat Hughes. In the third round, the Indians’ Cailen Vice and Brossart’s Jorge Del Castillo traded scores.
In the fourth round, D’Alessandro likely sought atonement when he faced the Indians’ Colton Kenney, who opened the regulation scoring with his 10th goal of the season in the 10th minute. D’Allesandro knew which way he would dive from the opening seconds – lower right corner.
“I saw him stepping up, and I saw him put the ball down (and) line it up with his left foot,” D’Alessandro said. “And I knew there’s only one spot (Kenney) can go with power – to my right. And I knew I was going there, and I went strong – almost a little bit too strong. And I just was in the right position. My feet followed me, and I had the ball.”
Luke D’Alessandro’s brother, freshman Ben D’Alessandro, clinched the win.
Playing scared was the main topic of Brossart head coach Ron Dunlevy’s halftime discussion.
“Just focus,” he said. “That’s all it is. We’ve been here before.”
Dunlevy held Neltner out for the first six minutes of the second half so he could refocus. It turned out to be a sound strategy when he converted Del Castillo’s pass.
“So I knew when the ball came over the top, and he was running on, that there was nothing going to stop him from putting that ball away,” Dunlevy said. “We started getting back into it towards the second half of the second half. So I knew when (Neltner’s) goal was scored, I really wasn’t worried.”
Montgomery County (13-7-2) coach Kevin Miles called Neltner’s goal “one of those things.”
“It kind of happens,” Miles said. “They were able to get through and finish on a nice one-touch shot.”
Brossart meets either Henry Clay or Bryan Station in the state first round at 7 p.m. Monday in Lexington; the Blue Devils and Defenders meet for the 11th Region championship at 7 p.m., Friday at Paul Laurence Dunbar.
If the Mustangs win Monday, it would be their first state win – which means they’ll have one more home game Oct. 25 in Alexandria.
“So that’ll be a great gift for our seniors, to give them one more game at our home field,” Dunlevy said.