SCHUYLKILL HAVEN — When Williams Valley and Schuylkill Haven get together in boys’ soccer, it’s usually an intense, back-and-forth, fans-screaming, nail-biting affair.
Thursday’s District 11 Class A quarterfinal was no exception.
Owen Pothering’s goal 4:54 into overtime gave the Hurricanes a wild, 4-3 victory over the Vikings at a windy and chilly Rotary Field.
The victory advances defending district champion Schuylkill Haven (13-5-2) into Monday’s semifinals, where the Hurricanes will face Schuylkill League Division II rival Nativity. The Hilltoppers downed Tri-Valley 2-1 in another quarterfinal.
“There’s no doubt about it ... It’s a great spectacle when these two teams meet, especially the last 4-5 years,” Schuylkill Haven coach Vanco Georgevic said. “Give credit to both sides. There was tremendous play on both sides. One team goes up 3-0, the other team comes back and we have to make a spectacular play to win the game in overtime.
“What else can you say about a game like that?”
Pothering’s game-winner was his third goal of the
night as the junior forward filled a scoring void in the Haven attack. The Hurricanes have struggled to score since losing senior playmaker Tyler Yeakel to a knee injury midway through the season.
Pothering scored at 10:04 and 23:17, giving the Hurricanes an early 2-0 lead.
“Owen with his speed and stamina can stay in the whole game,” Georgevic said. “We’ve been looking for somebody to step up for Tyler, and he did. He’s been coming along and he’s feeling more comfortable working with Aidan. He’s a tremendous player .”
Schuylkill Haven seemed in total control when Aidan Inman pounded home a rebound of a Dawson Evitts shot to give the Hurricanes a 3-0 lead with 9:53 left in the first half.
In the first half, Schuylkill Haven outshot Williams Valley 11-1, with the Vikings’ only shot coming in the 34th minute.
The second half was a different story.
“I told them to play with heart,” Williams Valley coach Seth Shuey said. “A lot of people thought this would be an easy game for Haven. I told them to play with heart, attack the ball and show them they can win.
“We changed the formation a little bit and I told them to reach down inside. We all wear the same logo, and to play for each other. The second half was an entirely different game.”
The Vikings (7-12) switched to a 3-5-2 formation and answered their coach’s charge with three second-half goals to force overtime.
Guiseppe Mini and Steven Hill tallied goals a minute apart to make it 3-2 with 28 minutes left, and Kieler Hoffman tied it in the 70th minute after a scramble in front.
Heading into the extra session, it was Georgevic who inspired his players.
“We told our seniors that ‘It’s one goal away from you whether you continue playing or you turn in your jerseys,’ ” the veteran coach said. “They stepped up. There was some tremendous hustling to the ball. Give credit to all of them.”
Schuylkill Haven was the aggressor the entire overtime period, keeping the ball in its offensive zone from start to finish.
The game-winning goal was set up by a defensive stop by Blake Handling to keep the ball in the Haven zone. The ball went to Inman, who lofted in a cross from the right corner toward the front of the net. Pothering whipped the ball into the net past Williams Valley goalie Bryan Pesta with a bicycle kick from the left side of the net.
“I saw Blake dribbling it down, and (Aidan) crossed it,” Pothering said. “It went all the way past the goal and I did my best to redirect it in, and I buried it.
“I had to bike it. That was the only way.”
Game Summary
District 11 Boys’ Soccer Class A Quarterfinal
Wms. Valley (7-12) 0 3 0 — 3 Sch. Haven (13-5-2) 3 0 1 — 4
SH —Pothering (Edelman), 10:04
SH —Pothering (Moyer), 23:17
SH —Inman, 30:07
WV —Mini (Hoffman), 50:41
WV —Hill, 51:50
WV —Hoffman, 69:10
SH —Pothering (Inman), 83:54
Shots on goal: Williams Valley 6, Schuylkill Haven 18. Corner kicks: Williams Valley 2, Schuylkill Haven 5. Saves: Williams Valley (Pesta) 12, Schuylkill Haven (Fryer) 3.