The Benjamin Franklin Chargers advanced to the state tournament on Saturday after overcoming the Anthem Prep Eagles in a penalty shootout.
It was Jake Murray’s strike from 12 yards out that ultimately sealed the victory in sudden death following two missed opportunities from Anthem Prep to take it themselves.
The Chargers weren’t on the best run of form entering the match, having won just one of their last six. Their opponents, meanwhile, had won five over the same spell, pushing them to a team record 17th in the conference rankings.
In an undoubtedly cagey first half, both sides exchanged spells of possession with ultimately very little to show for it. The best chances of the half ultimately fell to the hosts, as a period of miscommunication saw Tommy Kabler needing to clear up a backwards header that went over the keeper, and Dylan Hall redirecting a shot over the crossbar from just a few yards out.
“[Taking more shots] was the main focus at half-time,” Chargers coach Brad Peterson said. “We needed to put some pressure on their keeper and see what he’s got. We really didn’t challenge him a whole lot and we just needed to put some balls on frame and make him work for it.”
That change in approach paid off soon enough. Just seven minutes after the break, the ball landed at Jason Allen’s feet in a fairly central position. The shot itself was fairly central, but its height proved too much for Eagles goalkeeper Diego Orellana, who couldn’t prevent it from sneaking in under the bar.
Just a few minute later, perhaps the hosts should have had a chance for a second. A mishit clearance from Parker Slaton found its way to the feet of Britton Keene, who proceeded to go to ground in a tangle of bodies in the penalty area. The whistle went, but instead of a penalty kick, the referee resumed play with a dropped ball to the Chargers.
Ten minutes later, a penalty was awarded at the other end. Hall stepped up to take it, and slotted away his 16th goal in 13 games this season. Moments later, Zach Jacobs gave the visitors the lead, sneaking through a defence looking to catch him offside and keeping his nerve to finish cooly.
Yet in the remaining 15 minutes, the Chargers kept up pressure. Eventually, it paid off. Andrew Teuscher headed the ball over the keeper, and followed through to challenge a waiting defender. His reward? A tap-in equaliser with just minutes remaining on the clock.
Throughout the additional 20 minutes, as players began to drop in the heat, the hosts had the advantage in possession and territory but simply couldn’t capitalise. Solomon Stephens enjoyed the best chance on the stroke of the break, shooting from just inside the six-yard box, but Orellana in the Anthem Prep goal made himself big and kept the scores level.
The penalty shootout was ultimately a tale of two goalkeepers, with both Orellana and Benjamin Franklin’s Christopher Knapp making key saves. The Eagles had two opportunities to end the match from the spot, but couldn’t take their chances.
Instead, up stepped Murray for his team’s seventh kick. What was going through his mind?
“I knew I was going to put it right side,” he said. “So I just kept my head down and didn’t let the keeper think anything, and just went for it.”
The hosts were euphoric, but the visiting coach still saw positives in the performance and season.
“We played our hearts out for 80 minutes, then we got to play 20 minutes in overtime, and then to go to PKs, that’s how you want to end it,” Anthem Prep coach Rick Hall said.
“Four of our players are seniors. This is their last game. You can’t ask for a more memorable game than a game like this, so I’m very proud of us and I’m very proud of our players.
With the victory, Benjamin Franklin advances to face #2 seed Northwest Christian, but can they pull of the upset?
“I think we’ve got it,” Murray said. “I think we can push through. We’ve done harder.”
A photo album from the match is available here.