SUPERIOR, Wis. – The Upper Midwest Athletic Conference men's soccer championship match has become a destination for UW-Superior. Since entering the conference in 2015, the Yellowjackets have advanced to the final every season, winning each of the last three, all against the College of St. Scholastica.
 
Saturday the Yellowjackets were looking for their fourth title in a row, facing a Bethany Lutheran team that was experiencing its first-ever UMAC championship match.

When the teams met in Superior April 10, it was a match unlike any other for the Yellowjackets, as they needed overtime to win the 6-5 offensive shootout. Blake Perry (Anoka, Minn./Anoka) was the hero, scoring the winner just over a minute into the extra period. So it was only fitting that Perry would play a pivotal role in Saturday's championship match, as well.
 
The Yellowjackets erupted for three goals in the first half and cruised to their fourth consecutive playoff championship with a 5-0 win over the Vikings in front of a lively crowd at the NBC Spartan Sports Complex.
 
With the win, the Yellowjackets close out the season 11-1-0 and are once again the Upper Midwest Athletic Conference's regular season and tournament men's soccer champions.
 
In arguably the most physical match of the season, there were fireworks aplenty to get things started. In the first minute, Perry was hauled down and a foul was called on Bethany Lutheran. On the ensuing free kick, Miguel Ocampo (St. Louis Park, Minn./St. Louis Park) sent a low, line drive kick toward the goal that was redirected home by Perry, giving the Yellowjackets a 1-0 lead just 51 seconds in.
 
Following the goal the physical play picked up, with players from both sides tumbling to the turf. Things reached a boiling point just over 20 minutes into the match when Yellowjacket Head Coach Joe Mooney was issued a yellow card and a red card on the same play, forcing his departure from the match. Moments later the Yellowjacket bench was again issued a yellow card, but things started to settle down after that.

The Yellowjackets were able to increase their lead at 32:09 when Blake Hanson (Superior, Wis./Superior Senior) played the ball ahead from midfield and found Protus Babaya (Elk River, Minn./Elk River). Babaya got past the defense and chipped the ball over the Bethany Lutheran goalkeeper for his sixth of the year, making it 2-0.
 
Minutes later the Yellowjackets struck again. This time it was Nicolai Stokker (Klokkarstua, Norway/St. Hallvard) getting the goal, staying with the play after his initial shot was blocked by the defense, and scoring his fifth of the year.
 
The Yellowjackets dominated play in the opening frame and would take the 3-0 lead into halftime. In the first 45 minutes the Yellowjackets had 22 attempted shots to just four for the Vikings, and had a 9-1 edge in shots on goal.
 
Just as he did in the first half, Perry got things started in the second half. This time Hanson found Perry in the right side of the box, and the junior sharpshooter popped one into the lower left corner of the goal to make it 4-0.

The Yellowjackets would close out the scoring in the 87th minute. Sam Waylee Jr. (Abidjan, Ivory Coast/Morning Glory International School) took a feed from Perry and found Miguel Ocampo (St. Louis Park, Minn./St. Louis Park) in the middle of the field, about 20 yards out from the goal. Ocampo closed things out in style, hammering a shot off the cross bar and down for his fourth goal of the season, making the final score 5-0.
 
The Yellowjackets had 32 attempted shots in the match, while Bethany Lutheran had 13. Shots on goal also favored the Yellowjackets 13-6.
 
After a rocky outing against Bethany Lutheran earlier in the season, Yellowjacket goalkeeper Ulrik Lager (Vollen, Norway/Asker VGS) rebounded and played one of his best outings of the year. He finished the day with six saves to record his seventh shutout of the season. He completes the year with a 10-1-0 record.
 
Following his outstanding tournament performance, the Yellowjackets' Perry was named UMAC Tournament Most Valuable Player.
 
Seniors who played their final matches for the Yellowjackets Saturday include Mason Tynsky (Rochester, Minn./John Marshall), Pontus Tavemark (Taeby, Sweden/Taeby Enskilden Gymnasium), Ulrik Lager (Vollen, Norway/Asker VGS), Jefri Damas (Fridley, Minn./Fridley), Miguel Ocampo (St. Louis Park, Minn./St. Louis Park), Blake Doyea (Ramsey, Minn./Anoka), Sam Waylee Jr. (Abidjan, Ivory Coast/Morning Glory International School), and A.J. Olson (Chanhassen, Minn./Chanhassen).