(Dan Mohrmann/CHSAANow.com)
MONUMENT — Traveling to Don Breese Stadium and upsetting Lewis-Palmer is nothing new for Valor Christian. Advancing to the Class 4A boys soccer quarterfinals, however, is a very new feeling.
Like, iPhone 7-level new.
So when Buddy Nelson buried a shot in the 98th minute to give the Eagles a 1-0 win over the Rangers on Tuesday, his teammates began to celebrate like they had just opened that very expensive present on Christmas morning.
“This is the first time our team has made it (to the quarterfinals),” Nelson said. “So our program is really pumped that we were able to get there.”
But by no means was it easy.
The Rangers (13-4 overall) came into the tournament as the No. 2 overall seed and were looking to make a run at their first boys soccer state championship since 2003. They were also looking to avenge last year’s 3-1 home loss to Valor in the first round.
And with the strong goaltending of Hayden MacPherson and the offensive instincts of Jackson Neal, it looked like they were going to get their chance at it.
MacPherson stood tall in the net and through both halves made enough diving saves to earn gasps from fans of both teams. In the first half, Neal worked his way around three Eagles (9-7-1) players before ripping a shot that needed its own spectacular save from Valor keeper Ryan Pierce.
“It was a well-fought game through the end,” Pierce said. “They had so many chances and I thought they were going to score.”
But like MacPherson, he just kept swatting the ball away.
(Dan Mohrmann/CHSAANow.com)
After regulation ended with neither team finding the back of the net, the Eagles chatted on the sideline about what it will take to advance to Saturday’s quarterfinals. There was no definitive answer on what would get them the win.
But they knew that there was one thing that would net them a loss: fear.
“We just talked to them about if they play not to lose they’ll probably come up short,” Valor coach Brian Shultz said. “You have to go for the win. That’s why we kept being aggressive.”
And it paid off.
Two and a half minutes into the second overtime, the Rangers tried to clear the ball and it was Nelson who found the ball sitting at his feet.
He ripped a shot from the right side and as hard as MacPherson tried to make one more impressive save, the ball got just past his fingertips and found the goal.
“We create a lot of chances every game and normally only one or two go in,” Nelson said. “It’s pretty normal for us and I think all our chances just built our momentum up to get that last one in.”
And with that, the Eagles will fly at least one more time.
Valor is set to travel to Durango, who came away with a 2-1 win over Skyview. The winner of that game will advance to the 4A semifinals on Nov. 9.
Even if 2016 marks the first-ever quarterfinals appearance for the Eagles, they have no intention of settling for just that.
“Our momentum is just going to carry us through,” Nelson said. “I think we’re going to go far this year.”