Northeast repeats as Public League champs
As he leaped off the ground, Adin Hernandez-Carrera had one thought running through his head. "I have to score this goal. I have to score right here."
As he leaped off the ground, Adin Hernandez-Carrera had one thought running through his head.
"I have to score this goal. I have to score right here."
And he did, heading home the overtime goal to give host Northeast a 2-1 victory over Furness and its second straight Public League boys' soccer championship.
Hernandez-Carrera's game-winner wasn't the only time Tuesday night the senior demonstrated why he wears the captain's armband.
Eight minutes into the second half, a Furness defender committed a foul about 23 yards away from the net.
Hernandez-Carrera immediately rose to the occasion.
"I decided to call that play, and I just took a shot," Hernandez-Carrera said.
The play Hernandez-Carrera drew up worked perfectly.
Mohamed Elgayar tapped the indirect free kick to Hernandez-Carrera, who ripped a line drive past the outstretched hand of the Furness keeper.
Scoring the goal, however, didn't show why Hernandez-Carrera is the captain. It was the moments when the ball wasn't in play when he earned his title.
With less than three minutes left, the Furness goalie sent a free kick into the Northeast box from just outside midfield. The long drive ricocheted off the head of Elgayar and into his team's net for an own goal.
Hernandez-Carrera stepped in.
"I just told him to calm down and to keep his head up because the game wasn't over yet," Hernandez-Carrera said. "We can still win the game."
In the aftermath of the celebration, the Furness goalkeeper was issued a yellow card, and per PIAA rules was required to sit out for five minutes.
As he headed to the sideline, Northeast coach Kraig Feldman recalled the last meeting between the two teams, when they tied, 1-1, in September.
"He's a lot of the reason why we tied the last time," Feldman said. "He makes some amazing saves, so when he got that yellow card, we knew we had to pounce on that."
And pounce they did. Hernandez-Carrera scored the goal against the replacement keeper less than two minutes into overtime.
Northeast will face Roman Catholic on Thursday, with the Distrct 12 Class AAA title on the line.
And the Vikings will look to their captain to lead the way.
"He's the heart of this team. As he goes, the team goes," Feldman said.
Furness 0 1 0 - 1
Northeast 0 1 1 - 2
Goals: N-Adin Hernandez-Carrera 2
Saves: Furness: Geri Almadhi 9; N-Max Dossou 4.