HUNTINGTON – Seniors typically take a leadership role among sports teams, but it was a pair of unlikely underclassmen who helped thrust the Gateway Regional High School boys’ soccer team into the next round of the MIAA Division 3 West Sectional tournament with a thrilling victory in Wednesday’s opener.
Freshman Evan Lee and sophomore Alex Auclair converted the game-tying and game-winning shootout kicks, respectively – Gateway made seven straight PKs – to rally the seventh-seeded Gators past the No. 10 Pioneer Valley Christian Academy Eagles 1-0 (7-6 SO) Wednesday night.
“I thought the game would never end,” said Auclair, who knocked in the seventh, and game-winning PK. “I was so shocked, so stressed. We connected the dots today (for) a win.”
Neither team could connect early.
Gateway’s Jayden Marge (2) battles Pioneer Valley Christian Academy’s Mark Speight, left, as the two race upfield Wednesday during a Division 4 West Sectional boys’ soccer opening round tournament game in Huntington.
The Gators were locked in a battle for more than 100 minutes before prevailing over the Eagles, 1-0 (7-6 SO). (Photo by Marc St. Onge)
Pioneer (13-5-1) pressured Gateway (16-1-2) from the outset, taking a handful of shots in the opening minutes of the contest. Gators’ first-half goalie Shane Mastello (4 saves), and the defensive backfield held strong.
The opposing goalie, Idriss Koyate was just as strong for Pioneer, turning away all seven shots through the game’s first 100-plus minutes.
Gateway dominated on offense through a lengthy stretch late in regulation, peppering Koyate. The Eagles’ keeper prevailed.
There were fewer scoring chances for Gateway and Pioneer in both 10-minute overtime periods.
Pioneer nearly snuck out a stunning victory in the waning seconds with a high laser shot, but Gateway’s second-half goalie, Brady Parker (6 saves) made a leaping save, tapping it away to preserve a scoreless tie.
In the shootout, Parker and the Gators fell behind 2-0 with successful kicks from Pioneer captains Mark Speight and Jo-Jo Mozdzanowski.
Gateway failed to convert on its first three shots of the shootout, knocking one into the arms of Koyate, smacking the crossbar, and hitting the right post. Then, the tide turned.
After Parker made a diving save, Jeremy D’Angelis drove home the first Gateway shootout kick into the upper portion of the net past Koyate. Parker followed with another save, and Jayden Marge scored.
“When the ball went in, I got up for the next (kick),” Parker said. “My Dad always told me ‘if you let one in, you need to come up with a bigger save.’”
Parker’s biggest save came on Pioneer’s final kick of the night.
After their goalie came up with two straight saves in the shootout, Gateway matched Pioneer kick for kick as Gators’ John Rooney, Anthony Palazzi, Franky Tangredi, and Lee each scored.
Parker batted away the next Pioneer shot, setting up Auclair’s game-winner.
“Shane (Mastello) kept us in it early,” Gateway coach Tim Gamble said. “In the second half, Brady (Parker) made a couple of good saves. He didn’t hang his head … Systems went out the window in this one. It came down to who would grind it out.”
“This was the ultimate grind to come back from two goals down,” the Gators’ head coach said. “These kids believed.”
