Owen ousted by Shelby in second round shootout

No. 6 Warhorses fall to No. 11 Golden Lions, 2-2 (5-4)

Fred McCormick
The Valley Echo
November 6, 2026

A physical postseason contest featuring 110 minutes of soccer was not enough to determine a winner, Nov. 5, as No. 6 Owen hosted No. 11 Shelby in the second round of the NCHSAA 3A Men’s Soccer State Playoffs.

As the teams battled to a 2-2 tie, the Golden Lions emerged victorious, outlasting the Warhorses, 5-4, in a penalty kick shootout.

Owen entered the match following a bye in the first round, where Shelby advanced with a victory over Mountain Heritage. The Warhorses, who finished the regular season with a 12-4-2 record and a Western Highlands Conference championship, faced an early 1-0 deficit, after a breakaway goal by the Golden Lions in the 14th minute.

Owen senior Lyle Sulzman evened the score late in the half, hitting the back of the net with a penalty kick.

As the hard-fought contest entered the second half, yellow cards were presented to the Warhorses and Golden Lions, before Owen junior Boone Ferguson blasted an indirect free kick toward the goal in the 48th minute. Junior Blake Riggs charged the net, corralling the rebound and establishing a 2-1 lead for the home team.

Shelby successfully converted an indirect free kick with just under 19 minutes remaining in regulation, which ended in a 2-2 tie.

Strong defensive efforts by both teams maintained the deadlock through a 20-minute overtime period and the final 10 minutes of play.

The opponents took the field for a penalty shootout, which was knotted, 3-3, before the Shelby goalkeeper smothered an attempt by Owen junior Jonah Wilson. While the Warhorses added another goal, the Golden Lions successfully converted all five penalty kicks to clinch the victory and advance to the third round.

Photos of the second round playoff match between Owen and Shelby can be viewed in the gallery at the top of the page.