Purples survive PKs to earn third straight region crown

Published 10:24 am Friday, October 23, 2026

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Bowling Green and Warren Central players react after the Purples clinch a 7-6 penalty kick win over Warren Central in the Boys’ Region 4 championship at Franklin-Simpson on Thursday.
(JACK DOBBS / Daily News)

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Warren Central’s Bahati Ishimwe (17) and Bowling Green’s Joshua Centena Luben (5) stumble after the ball during Bowling Green’s 7-6 penalty kick win over Warren Central in the Boys’ Region 4 championship at Franklin-Simpson on Thursday.
(JACK DOBBS / Daily News)

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Bowling Green’s Mishack Mkandama (11) defends Warren Central’s Daudi Kaburu (10) during Bowling Green’s 7-6 penalty kick win over Warren Central in the Boys’ Region 4 championship at Franklin-Simpson on Thursday.
(JACK DOBBS / Daily News)

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Bowling Green’s Miguel Yaredi (7) celebrates with Mishack Mkandama (11) and Shukuru Shabani (20) after scoring during Bowling Green’s 7-6 penalty kick win over Warren Central in the Boys’ Region 4 championship at Franklin-Simpson on Thursday.
(JACK DOBBS / Daily News)

FRANKLIN – The rollercoaster ride continued for the Bowling Green boys’ soccer team, which once again ran the gamut of emotions in a 4-3 win over Warren Central in the Region 4 championship on Thursday at Franklin-Simpson High School.

Bowling Green (12-8-2) saw a two-goal lead slip away only to rally late and eventually outlast the Dragons 7-6 in penalty kicks to earn the program’s third straight region title.

“Our season has been a whole stock market, going up and down,” Bowling Green coach Benjamin Mujcic said. “We’ve taken it to the extreme where every game is up and down, up and down, but we are never going to give up. They deserve it because they never gave up. That is the most important thing. They believed in themselves all the way. They fought through all the way until the end. It’s unfortunate to lose in penalties or to win in penalties, but at the end of the day someone has to win or go home.”

The journey to a third straight region title – and third win over Warren Central in four tries this season – took plenty of twists and turns in Thursday’s game.

Warren Central (17-4-2) started the match looking to pick up where it left off in last week’s 2-0 District 14 championship win – getting four shots on goal in the first 20 minutes, but was unable to break through.

Bowling Green made its first shot on goal count, with Miguel Yaredi slipping through two defenders and getting off a shot right in front of the net that slipped past the keeper and gave the Purples a 1-0 lead in the 31st minute.

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The Purples added to the lead three minutes into second half, with Benjamin Arauz taking a redirect at the top of the box and firing it in for a two-goal advantage.

The lead would quickly evaporate after a seven-minute flurry from Tony Andolo. The sophomore got free on the back side in the 54th minute, trimming the deficit to one after taking a pass from Yaye Kayanda and finishing for his first goal of the season. Seven minutes later, Kayanda and Andolo hooked up on nearly the exact same play – allowing Warren Central to tie the score 2-2.

The Dragons surged in front in the 71st minute, with Daudi Kaburu’s cross caroming off a BG defender into the net to put Warren Central in front 3-2.

Bowling Green answered in the 77th, with Yaredi coming up with his second goal of the night after breaking free on the back side right in front of the keeper.

“I knew he was going to play it off the back post, so I just ran up the back post and hit it,” Yaredi said. “Coach told me to always run to the back post, so that is what I did and ended up scoring the goal. It felt really great to tie up the game.”

Both teams had chances in the final two minutes of regulation and were unable to cash in on limited chances in two overtimes before the game went to penalty kicks.

After both teams scored in the first round, Warren Central’s Maombi Wilonja appeared to have the save but the official ruled he stepped off the line and BG was able to convert the rekick. BG’s Uriel Munoz Giron got a save in round three to briefly give the Purples the advantage, but a shot wide on BG’s next round evened it up again and it remained tied until the eighth round of penalty kicks.

Ermack Ramos gave Bowling Green the lead and Augustine Thang – who had scored early in the penalty kicks – tried to extend the match for Warren Central, but Munoz Giron was able to come up with the save to secure the title for the Purples.

Munoz Giron said seeing the shooter earlier in the penalty kicks was a big reason for his game-clinching save.

“I just remember where he went (on the previous penalty kick),” Munoz Giron said. “I just trusted my gut and went to the same place.”

Warren Central finished with nine shots on goal, while Bowling Green had eight shots on goal.

With the win Mujcic completed a personal double – winning the region as a player in 2012 and now as a coach.

“It’s a great feeling, honestly,” Mujcic said. “I love to do it for the boys and for the school. Hats off to Warren Central. They had such a phenomenal season and they’ve always given us the best competition.”

The loss was a disappointing ending for Warren Central, which was seeking the program’s first region title since 2019.

“It was a great season, but ultimately these guys will tell you we failed,” Warren Central coach AJ Ray said. “We came up short. We had our eye on one thing all year and fall a little bit short of that. For the younger guys we just have to get back to work, work ourselves to exhaustion to put ourselves here again.”

Bowling Green advances to face Region 3 champion Owensboro in Owensboro either Monday or Tuesday. The specific date and time is to be determined.

About Micheal Compton

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

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