The last two times Nativity played Williams Valley in boys’ soccer, the Hilltoppers watched comfortable leads evaporate in the second half and each game turn into a nail-biting finish.
They weren’t going to let it happen again.
Pablo Hernandez scored twice on free kicks to overcome an early deficit, and the Nativity defense hunkered down in the second half as the Hilltoppers beat the Vikings 3-1 in Thursday’s District 11 Class A quarterfinal atop Lawton’s Hill.
“We just didn’t give up on the ball,” Nativity senior central midfielder Ayden Adams said. “We stuck to our guns and followed through with what we did in the first half.”
Nativity (15-5) will play Pine Grove, 7-1 winners over Lehigh Valley Christian on Thursday, in Monday’s semifinals at a time and location to be announced.
“I knew they were going to come out hard. It’s tough to beat the same team three times in a season,” Nativity coach Paul Datte said. “They played us tough every game. ... We turned it around quickly in the first half, put the pressure back on and took advantage of our opportunities.”
Peppe Mini put Williams
Valley ahead 1-0 in the fifth minute, the first time the Vikings (8-11) had a lead on the Hilltoppers all season. Tre Engle found Mini in the box with a floated ball from midfield that Mini volleyed off the right post and into the Nativity net.
The goal was the result of consistent pressure by Williams Valley in the opening minutes. The Vikings moved Mini into the midfield from his forward role and let freshmen Chett Pesta and James Zerby take over up top, dropping Engle back to a stopper position.
“It was something we’ve been practicing since last week and it worked,” Williams Valley coach Seth Shuey said. “ ... That was our game plan, get everybody forward, keep pressing, keep attacking. First couple minutes, it worked to perfection.”
Third-seeded Nativity responded through the hard work of Adams, who created a couple chances from the left side following the Vikings’ tally. Eventually, the Hilltoppers won a free kick in the 10th minute near midfield that changed the game.
Hernandez sent the ball into the penalty area, where it took an awkward bounce and trickled through to the Williams Valley goal to tie the game at 1.
One of five starters injured during the last two weeks of the season, Hernandez returned to his sweeper position Thursday after missing last week’s Schuylkill League semifinals.
All of those five starters — Adams, Hernandez, goalkeeper Eric Nelson, fullback Jorge Nechar and midfielder Javier Encalada — were back for Nativity on Thursday. Some had previously returned for the league semifinals.
“What’s really nice is we have two or three extra guys that we can move in and out. I think it showed today,” Datte said. “Our guys were much more rested and ready to go toward the end of the second half than they had been in the last several games.”
Encalada headed in Rodrigo Gamboa Sanchez’s corner in the 23rd minute for a 2-1 Nativity lead.
Hernandez’s second goal came in the 33rd minute, this time on a free kick taken just outside the penalty area that rocketed off the left post and into the netting for a 3-1 lead.
“He’s been working on (free kicks). He probably has the strongest leg on the team,” Datte said. “We missed him when he was out and we’re glad to have him back.”
But Nativity had been in this situation before. Williams Valley rallied within two goals after conceding four in the first half the first time the teams met Sept. 23. The Hilltoppers squeezed out a 3-2 win the second meeting Oct. 13.
While sixth-ranked Williams Valley did have a few second-half chances Thursday from throw-ins and set pieces, the Vikings were denied the possession that served them so well during the previous two games.
“I tell them all the time, soccer is like life,” Shuey said. “You’re given opportunities you have to take. If you don’t take them, you’re going to be saying ‘What if?’ ”
Thursday was the final game for an accomplished Williams Valley senior class — Mini, Engle, Bryan Drum, Kent Schaeffer, Daniel McGarvey, Joshua Soliday and Jarod Picola — that has helped mold a young corps of underclassmen.
Nativity’s seniors, like Adams, find themselves back in the district semifinals, which they reached last season before being eliminated in overtime by Schuylkill Haven.
Adams quickly pointed out that following last year’s footsteps isn’t the plan.
“To go further is the goal this year,” he said.
Game Summary
District 11 Class A Quarterfinals
Wms. Valley (8-11) 1 0 — 1
Nativity (15-5) 3 0 — 3
WV — Mini (Engle), 4:55
Nat — Hernandez (unassisted), 14:07
Nat — Encalada (Sanchez), 23:00
Nat — Hernandez (unassisted), 32:29
Shots on goal: Williams Valley 4, Nativity 8. Corner kicks: Williams Valley 2, Nativity 3. Saves: Williams Valley (Reinoehl) 4, Nativity (Nelson) 3.