Region 1-2A boys soccer: Bay's season ends in overtime

PANAMA CITY — Unable to match up with Bay in terms of technical skill, Pensacola Catholic made up for that deficiency with superior effort and opportune goals at Tommy Oliver Stadium on Friday night.

The Crusaders were rewarded with a stunning 3-2 overtime victory in a Region 1-2A boys soccer semifinal that ended with Kegan Haag’s goal 90 seconds into the extra session. The outcome marked the only time Pensacola Catholic defeated the Tornadoes in four meetings this season.

Pensacola Catholic (14-10) will host Jacksonville Bolles in the Region 1-2A finals on Tuesday. Bay’s season came to a frustrating conclusion at 18-7-2 overall.

Less than two minutes into overtime, Pensacola Catholic’s Chase Kiefer heaved a throw-in toward the center of Bay’s 18-yard box. Bay goalkeeper Gunner Thrasher was able to get both hands on the ball, but he couldn’t secure it. Haag raced in to boot the loose ball into the net before Thrasher could recover.

The Crusaders immediately stormed the field to celebrate Haag’s golden goal. Bay’s players trudged off the field in stunned disbelief.

“We played great in every game this year,” Crusaders coach David Toellner. “Some games it was only for a few minutes, a few games it was for most of the game. Tonight for 95 percent of the game we played great.”

Bay coach Ron Houpt described the loss as “unbelievable.”

“It’s hard to deal with this kind of stuff,” Houpt said after he collected his players for one final huddle after the game. “If you’re on the other side, it’s jubilation and elation. … It was just so sudden.”

Bay forced overtime when senior Ashton Hicks, the county’s leading scorer this season, put a head on Preston Brown’s throw-in and redirected a shot past Crusader keeper Chandler Burns midway through the second half.

The Tornadoes led 1-0 after Jacob Wright scored just six minutes into the game. That lead wouldn’t hold for long, though, as Jack Pouchert and Keifer scored six minutes apart to give Pensacola Catholic a 2-1 lead at halftime.

“The first two (goals allowed) were from not clearing the ball out and just looking at each other,” Houpt said. “We were not communicating. They were doing all the moving in the first half, and we were just standing around.”