SAGINAW — The Guyer Wildcats didn’t bowl over Fort Worth Arlington Heights in Tuesday’s Class 4A Region I area round playoff game like they did many of their District 5-4A opponents this season.

DRC/Gary Payne

Guyer’s Daniel Martin, center, tries to cross the ball toward the goal against Fort Worth Arlington Heights during a Class 4A Region I area round game Tuesday in Saginaw. The Wildcats won 1-0. Click here for more photos.

However, the 1-0 victory, which marked the first playoff win in Guyer soccer history, might instill more confidence in the Wildcats than a blowout would have.

The game was scoreless through 73 minutes before Daniel Martin’s point-blank shot found the back of the net for the game winner, and while the Wildcats (23-2-2) left with a win, they know they still have some improvements to make before their regional quarterfinal game later this week.

“We weren’t very pleased with our performance,” Guyer head coach Cody Schroeder said. “We’re ecstatic with the victory. The mark of a good team is when the other team is playing their best and giving all they have that you respond. We found a way to respond and we won the game.

“We were very fortunate to get the win. I don’t know that we deserved it, but we got the win and we’re playing in the next round.”

Guyer controlled most of the first half of play and got 10 shots on goal to Arlington Heights’ three, but came away empty-handed in all of them.

Just before half, the stiff wind at Rough Rider Stadium shifted from a crosswind to a north wind that was in Guyer’s favor for just the last 10 minutes of the half and in the Yellow Jackets’ the entire second half.

Despite not capitalizing on several good scoring opportunities before the break, Schroeder said he wasn’t concerned with the wind and the speedy Yellow Jackets.

“With the way we play our offense, the wind isn’t much of a factor,” Schroeder said. “It definitely gave them an offensive advantage, but as far as our offense goes, the wind doesn’t affect us.”

The Wildcats had a couple of golden scoring opportunities to open the second half starting with Drew Chenault, who went for a header and collided head-to-head with an Arlington Heights defender in front of the Yellow Jackets’ goal. The two were on the ground for several minutes before leaving the field.

Less than two minutes later, the Wildcats’ leading goal scorer, Nick Leavitt, missed wide on an open header that beat the Yellow Jackets’ keeper.

The Yellow Jackets (16-4-1) actually outshot the Wildcats in the second half, but Guyer made its chances count when Martin found Chenault about 20 yards out, and Chenault sent a beautiful tap back to Martin who fired from six yards out to win the game.

Martin said he was a bit surprised to find the ball at his feet but was more than ready for the chance.

“I was just trying to put it at his [Chenault’s] feet and I was glad he could actually get the ball and make a great play like that,” said the sophomore forward. “I thought he was going to shoot it and he passed it to me. It all just comes down to team play. The whole team has to work to win and all of that work paid off.”

Schroeder said his team’s absolute lack of playoff experience might have played a part in its sluggish start but he believes it’s ready to move forward with the regional quarterfinal game.

“We had to get through this first game and get everyone a game of [playoff] experience,” Schroeder said. “We’re all new to this, and it’s just going to take a little time to get ourselves going. We finally got it going in the last seven minutes.”

The shutout win marked the 10th shutout in the Wildcats’ last 13 games. The Wildcats have now gone 25 games without a loss.

Sophomore goalkeeper Zack Brewer said he never doubted that his team would win the game even though he usually has more cushion to work with than just one goal 73 minutes into the game.

“I knew my defense would stay strong,” Brewer said. “They’re always there for me. They play their hearts out every day for me.”

Brewer’s performance was especially not a surprise to Schroeder, who had one of his promises to his players come true on Tuesday.

“We said all along that when we got to the playoffs that Zack Brewer is going to be one of the key reasons why we keep going, and he had an outstanding game tonight,” Schroeder said. “We knew he had that ability. There was never a question about that. He just needed an opportunity to shine, and he did tonight.”

ADAM BOEDEKER can be reached at 940-566-6872. His e-mail address is aboedeker@dentonrc.com .