Purples win region again after KHSAA orders restart

Published 10:12 pm Monday, October 26, 2026

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William Swietek makes a save during Bowling Green’s 4-3 (8-7 Penalty Kicks) win over Warren Central for the Region 4 Championship at Bowling Green Junior High School on Monday, October, 26, 2026 after the KHSAA ruled that an incorrect application of the penalty shootout rules were applied in the Region 4 boys’ soccer championship on Thursday, October, 22, 2026 at Franklin-Simpson High School.(Caleb Lowndes/Daily News)
(Caleb Lowndes)

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The Purples’ celebrate after their 4-3 (8-7 Penalty Kicks) win over Warren Central for the Region 4 Championship at Bowling Green Junior High School on Monday, October, 26, 2026 after the KHSAA ruled that an incorrect application of the penalty shootout rules were applied in the Region 4 boys’ soccer championship on Thursday, October, 22, 2026 at Franklin-Simpson High School. (Caleb Lowndes/Daily News)
(Caleb Lowndes)

It took four extra days and one extra round of penalty kicks, but the Bowling Green boys’ soccer team retained the Region 4 Soccer championship with a 4-3 (8-7 in penalty kicks) win on Monday at Bowling Green Junior High School.

Bowling Green originally won 4-3 after taking penalty kicks 7-6 in eight rounds on Thursday, but the game was ordered to be restarted by KHSAA after Warren Central filed a protest contesting the result due to “incorrect application of the rules” by game officials.

After the initial five rounds of penalty kicks, with the two teams tied 4-4, officials allowed both teams to re-use kickers although the KHSAA rules state that once it goes to sudden death “each coach will select five different players than the first five who already have kicked to take the kicks.”

Warren Central’s final three kicks were all re-kicks, with BG re-using a player in the eighth and decisive round.

BG coach Ben Mujcic declined to talk to the media following Monday’s restart, but Bowling Green superintendent Gary Fields said it was an unprecedented decision.

“Thirty two years in education — coach, principal, superintendent — the weirdest day ever,” Fields said. “I’m disappointed in the adults at the KHSAA for not making a decision. I think they had in front of them a game that had been played on Thursday night. We had a final result.

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“We are supposed to play tomorrow night at 7 o’clock in Owensboro and it took something away from our kids’ experience. I saw kids today very emotional, coaches very emotional the day before a state tournament game. I think sometimes the KHSAA loses focus that it should be about the kids and not the adults. I’m glad we won, but I am just disappointed. I’m disappointed that this creates bad blood between two really good programs. As much as I am glad we won the PKs, there is not a lot to celebrate tonight after the day our kids had at school.”

The game resumed with Bowling Green ahead 5-4 in the sixth round and Warren Central kicking to stay alive. After the Dragons made the kick, both teams scored goals the next two rounds to make the score 7-7.

Bowling Green’s Mishack Mkandama took the kick in the ninth, with William Swietek getting the save for Purples to once again preserve the win.

“I kinda knew we would win, because ball doesn’t lie I guess,” Swietek said. “Ball doesn’t lie. We earned it. They didn’t. It’s not hard to take what you earned.”

Uriel Munoz Giron was the keeper in Thursday’s match, but was unable to compete on Monday due to an injury. Swietek said he had about six hours to prepare for Monday’s penalty kicks.

“It’s a shame he couldn’t be out here,” Swietek said. “He earned it too. He did just as much as I did. I just tried to do it for him.”

Fields praised the community support with Monday’s restart drawing a huge crowd.

“I think people really rallied around our kids,” Fields said. “It’s about our kids and their experience. They worked so hard to get here. We had an up and down year. No one would have ever predicted we were going to win the region tournament. Those years are the special years. They are more special than the years you are favored.”

Bowling Green will now play at Owensboro at 7 p.m. on Tuesday.

About Micheal Compton

I am a sports reporter and movie critic for the Bowling Green Daily News.

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