The Martha’s Vineyard Regional High School (MVRHS) varsity boys soccer team defeated the number one seed Medway High School Mustangs Tuesday afternoon 2-1 in a game that went down to the wire — twice. The winning goal came in the last minute of the second overtime on the Taunton High School field.
The Vineyarders, the fourth seed, now advance to the Division 3 South sectional final on Saturday when they face off against the Norwell Clippers, the seventh seed, at 2:30 pm in Taunton.
The win was especially sweet for Martha’s Vineyard. In the 2013 Division 3 South semifinal, Medway edged out the Vineyarders by the same score. Medway was a tough team, with an iron curtain defense that held the Vineyard’s star forward Jason Lages scoreless, and allowed him only two shots on goal.
Medway was 19-1 going into the Veterans Day semifinal.
“There are seven seniors who have been on varsity since their freshman year,” Medway Athletic Director Rob Pearl told The Times after the quarterfinals, “so it’s a good core group of kids that have come through our program. The past two years Medway made it to the State Final and lost by one goal in each of those games. It’s been a frustrating two years. They are playing strong this year and looking good.”
There was no shortage of Mohawk hairstyles on both teams. Weather conditions were perfect for a November afternoon, cloudy and 63 degrees.
In a pregame conversation, Vineyard star defenseman Alex GordonBeck told assistant coach Ryan White, “I am going to leave this game a champion, I am not losing.”
After the game, Mr. White hugged Alex and told him, “I’m glad you’re true to your word.”
The Vineyarders had tremendous support from fans in the stands, thanks to the generosity of Our Market in Oak Bluffs, which paid for four chartered busses that transported supporters from Woods Hole to Taunton. Our Market manager Jamie McNeely told The Times that the business wanted to make it possible for kids to go to the game without any expense.
The Vineyard fans were loud and enthusiastic, chanting “I-believe-that-we-will-win” over and over again.
The first half saw intense action from both sides. Matt Stone earned his Varsity letter in the goal with a strong performance and nine saves overall.
Alex GordonBeck’s defense was magical. He constantly appeared out of nowhere to turn Medway drives in the opposite direction. There was artful footwork by Yannick Gonsalves, and Gordon Moore had a strong day as well.
“Gordon, today is the day!” coach Estaban Aranzabe shouted after a masterful defensive play.
The last 15 minutes of the first half was all Vineyard. Brandon Dwane scored the Vineyard’s first goal with 9:28 left in the half to thunderous applause, assisted by Ben Poole.
“I was holding my breath the rest of the game after that,” Brandon told The Times.
The game was played with three referees instead of the usual complement of two, which helped keep emotions in check.
Tensions ran high on both sides in the second half. Jason Lages received a yellow card following an altercation with an opposing player, but a couple of minutes later he was back in the game.
“We have a clean team and we came here to win,” Mr. Aranzabe told his team at the time out. “You know that, right? Now pressure, pressure, pressure!”
Shortly after, Jason was knocked down by a Medway player and the Vineyarders got the ball. A fired-up Lages addressed the crowd, “Let’s goooo!” after he stood up and sprinted back to his position. The crowd loved it and resumed its supportive chanting. Jason tried desperately to score, but the defense was all over him.
“Guys, they’re gonna come hard now,” Mr. Aranzabe told the boys with 14:35 left in the second half. Following that premonition, Medway’s Adam Karacaoglu scored the tying goal with 5:15 left in regulation time. “Can’t-be-beat, Can’t-be-beat,” shouted the Vineyard crowd.
Despite a massive effort from both teams, the tie propelled the game into a 10-minute overtime, which went scoreless.
“Keep your seatbelts fastened fans: we are going on,” said the P-A announcer at the close of the game’s regulation time.
In the second and final 10-minute overtime period, both teams gave it their all. Medway missed twice back-to-back with 2:34 left in the period, followed by one shot that landed on top of the net and yet another that shot over the net.
The Vineyarders pushed on. With barely two minutes left in the second overtime period Alex GordonBeck scored the game-winner assisted by Jason Lages, and brought the house down.
“I was so pumped for this year after what they did to us last year in overtime,” Brandon told The Times after the victory.
“We worked really hard for this game,” Coach Aranzabe said postgame. “We played against an amazing team. We did the work for our families and for our Island. Everyone should be proud of this group of men. Now it’s time to keep working and win the State (Championship). That’s our mission.”
The Vineyarders face number seven seed Norwell High School (15-3-5) in the Division 3 South championship Saturday at Taunton High School at 2:30 pm.
Our Market will once again arrange for buses to transport fans to the game. Buses will be waiting in Woods Hole for the noon boat from Vineyard Haven. To reserve space email Peggy Stone at stone5341@comcast.net.
