SOCCER: ND WAGES SECTIONAL REMATCH

The Notre Dame High School boys soccer team will be facing one of the state's top squads in tonight's sectional playoff game.

But that's something the Bulldogs should be used to by now.

For the third consecutive season, Notre Dame will play St. Mary's of St. Louis in a Class 1A-3A sectional contest, set for a 6 p.m. start at the Anheuser-Busch Conference & Sports Center in Fenton, Mo.

Defending state champion St. Mary's (20-7-4) has eliminated Notre Dame (18-7-1) in the sectional round in each of the past two seasons, including 1-0 last year.

"We know St. Mary's is a really quality team," said Notre Dame coach Brad Wittenborn. "But we've given them very good games in the past and we think we'll be right in there again. I think we've played our best soccer against the better competition, which is encouraging."

While acknowledging that the Bulldogs will once again be the underdogs to the Dragons, he said Notre Dame won't hold anything back tonight. That perhaps wasn't the case last year, admitted Wittenborn.

("We were probably a little too conservative last year," he said. "This year, we won't hold anything back. We're going to go right at them and take it to them."

When Wittenborn advised his team of his plan of attack following Monday night's 3-0 win over Windsor in the 1A-3A, District 1 Tournament championship game, the Notre Dame players erupted in cheers.

If the Bulldogs are feeling somewhat loose and confident entering their playoff opener, maybe it's because they believe they are perhaps a team of destiny. How else to explain what happened against Sikeston in Saturday's district semifinals.

Sikeston held a 1-0 lead in the final seconds and it appeared as if Notre Dame's season would definitely be coming to a close. But the Bulldogs, who had the ball near midfield with just seconds left, were able to score with only two seconds on the clock to force overtime. They eventually won in a shootout.

"After what happened against Sikeston, maybe we're destined this time," Wittenborn said.

This season has been especially satisfying for Wittenborn and his squad because a lot of people didn't think the Bulldogs would even make the playoffs after losing nine senior starters and returning just one senior from last year's team.

"I knew our young players were talented, and they've really come together," said Wittenborn.

The Bulldogs have received solid contributions from a host of players this season, including junior Scott Wittenborn, the coach's son who has a school-record 24 goals, and Tyler Cuba, who has pumped in 20 goals.

St. Mary's, which annually faces a rugged St. Louis-area schedule, has a balanced attack, with four players scoring in double figures. Pete Cacciatore and Kevin Simpson lead the way with 12 goals apiece while Cory Scheipeter and Vince Vitale each have scored 11 times.)