Mustangs' long run pays off with win vs. Redhawks
Despite already battling through 100 minutes of soccer, Downers Grove South senior forward Tom Kohls knew he couldn't give up on any chances his Mustangs might get against No. 1-seeded Naperville Central on Tuesday afternoon.
After running more than 60 yards to keep up with teammate Cory Martin in the game's 102nd minute, Kohls capitalized on a rebound from Martin's shot, finding the back of the net to give Downers Grove South a 1-0, triple-overtime victory in Naperville.
Martin's shot sailed high and found the wide-open foot of Kohls. All the Mustangs co-captain had to do was make sure his foot struck the ball.
"I just basically hustled down to where I needed to be, and I happened to be in the right place at the right time," Kohls said, flanked closely by several elated teammates. "I was expecting the worst (for Naperville Central), and I just happened to be there and was prepared for it.
"We conditioned at the beginning of the year for this, and it's all about the heart. You've just got to put it out there, give it your best, and see what outcome comes for you. It was just in our favor this time."
"We've been talking about finishing all week, and to do it with a 60-yard sprint is unbelievable," Mustangs (17-6-1) coach Jon Stapleton said. "That's just the character of this team. We have very hard-working, great kids."
Strong defense, strong goalkeeping and crunch-time experience all paved the way for Kohls' late-game heroics.
"Our defense, to hold this team out, starts with Brett Petricek, our keeper. That was an all-state performance by Brett," Stapleton said.
"We've been in this situation before - our first game of the tournament was three overtimes, and we've won a conference game in overtime.
"I think there's something to be said about that experience."
Redhawks (17-3-2) coach Jay Konrad emphasized the fact that the entire team was responsible for Tuesday's outcome.
"I thought if we could've put them away early that we would've been able to finish them," Konrad said. "We didn't, and they hung on, defended hard - and credit them. They found a way to win."