For the Port Allegany boys soccer team, penalty kicks were anything but an automatic this season. In fact, head coach Aaron Clark estimates the Gators missed half their shots from the 12-yard marker this season.
It’s a good thing they spent Monday’s practice working on them, as that extra time may have helped the Gators to a 2-1 shootout victory over Elk Catholic Tuesday night at Parkway Field.
“I probably had the best penalty shootout practice of my life yesterday,” said Port Allegany goalie Josh Mealy, who saved Elk Catholic’s second shot. “I was terrified, but I was more confident than I probably would have been.”
The Gators’ Brandon McCaslin stepped up first and scored on the Crusaders’ Alex O’Neill, while Elk Catholic’s Reigis Wortman boomed his shot over the goal. Next up for Port Allegany was Adam Doan, who was a late substitute in the second overtime period, playing just six minutes on the field before the shootout.
He coolly scored, and then Mealy saved Jacob Carnovale’s shot. Payton Caden put the Gators up 3-0, before Elk Catholic’s Charlie Bobby’s shot met the right post, sending Port Allegany to the District 9 Class A final and a spot in the state tournament.
“This is probably the biggest thing I’ll do in my high school career already,” Mealy said. “There are people in tears already because this is the first time we’ve qualified. For me to be a part of that as a junior is one of the biggest parts of my high school career.”
This is the first time in Gators’ soccer history that the team has made the state playoffs. Clark and assistant coach Matt Lawton have been with the program since its inception.
“It’s amazing we’re still seeing firsts for the program,” Clark said. “It’s nice to see. You always want to celebrate the firsts, you never want to celebrate too much because there’s more to come.”
The Gators almost didn’t have a chance to celebrate at all, after an early goal by Elk Catholic’s Valentyn Wolfe in the game’s fourth minute looked like it would stand, until just moments before halftime when a Port Allegany free-kick goal was waved off due to goalie interference. Both teams looked to score in a second half that was marred by whistles, fouls and four yellow cards, including three on the Crusaders.
Calvin Burleson finally broke through for Port Allegany with 3:01 left in regulation, tying the game at 1-1. Minutes before, Clark made a tactical change to bring up another attacker – Burleson – and change from a 4-4-2 formation to a more attacking-minded 4-3-3.
“We switched to a 4-3-3 in the last moments there and I was just glad it worked,” Clark said. “We haven’t played a 4-4-3 all season. My worry was that we were going to give up some cheesy counterattack goal, but at that point losing 2-0 versus 1-0, what’s the big deal?”
Elk Catholic had a chance with 45 seconds left when Wortman put a shot off the crossbar from distance.
Both extra time periods were evenly matched, as both teams felt the effects of fatigue and cramps.
Mealy, who was credited for 14 saves in net, doesn’t get the credit he deserves as a goalkeeper because of his lack of action in blowout games, according to Clark.
“When it comes to high school soccer, I don’t think goalies get enough respect,” Clark said. “Josh, game-in and game-out is one of the best players on the field. There were games he touched the ball once or twice. We could have had a marshmallow back there and gotten a shutout. Josh is a top-notch goalie for District 9 soccer.”
Port Allegany gets a shot at their first soccer district title Thursday at Parkway Field against Brockway, 6-0 winners over Coudersport in the early matchup Tuesday. The Gators beat the Rovers 1-0 in Port Allegany in their only meeting of the season.
Sealing off Brockway’s long shots is a key for the Gators to win, said Mealy, noting that the Rovers play a majority of their regular season games on turf.
For the Gators, having more confidence in themselves will be a key.
“Brockway is perennially one of the best teams in the district,” Clark said. “We have to start looking at ourselves that way. I think confidence is one of our big issues. Our game plan isn’t going to change, our players aren’t going to change. We just have to be confident.”
