OAKWOOD -- With a Region 8-AAAA title either within in their grasp or in danger of slipping away, both the Chestatee and Johnson boys soccer teams played with a sense of desperation Friday night.
Johnson can breath a little easier after taking a nerve-wracking 2-1 victory, courtesy of a 3-1 advantage in penalty kicks, at Billy Ellis Memorial Stadium.
It was even more intense as both keepers made big saves and both teams missed open nets during the penalty kicks. Johnson's Junior Gonzalez put an end to the tension beating Chestatee's Miguel Calderon in the fifth penalty kick to clinch the win.
"I felt confident even though we missed a couple," Gonzalez said. "I just knew my team needed me to step up and that's what I tried to do. We knew how much this game meant and I didn't want to let them down."
It was an even bigger win than Gonzalez knew at the time. Coupled with Buford's 5-0 loss to North Oconee Friday, the Class AAAA third-ranked Knights (10-2, 5-1 Region 8-AAAA) are now back in the driver's seat for the region title.
It didn't appear that way after Tuesday's frustrating 1-0 loss to Buford and having to play both games without their standout leader Fabian Abarca, who was forced to miss both games after receiving a red card in a win over Madison County last week.
"This was a huge win for us," Johnson coach Brian Shirley said. "After the Buford game we were a little down but the guys showed the kind of character they have to come back and get a win."
The loss was the third straight for eighth-ranked Chestatee (7-3, 4-2) and second straight in region play. It dropped the War Eagles into fourth place one-half game behind Buford, but they own the head-to-head tiebreaker over the Wolves. North Oconee (11-2, 5-1) leap-frogged both into second place with its win Friday.
"This was a tremendous game. Both teams played hard and it was a playoff-like atmosphere with the crowd," Herrin said. "Obviously we would rather have come out with a win. But we were just a few inches away really from celebrating. We hit the crossbar and the post. Our keeper made a big save in the PKs. But that's the way it goes sometimes."
Both Gonzalez and Shirley said they will be glad to get the heart of their team back.
"Fabian is a big part of what we do," Gonzalez said. "We've been learning to play without him but I can't wait to see him get back out there with us."
"Fabian's been chomping at the bit to get out there and it will be huge for us to get him on the field for sure," Shirley said. "He's the heart of this team and we're much more dangerous when he is out there."
Johnson, despite being without Abarca, dictated the early action with a pair of long throw-ins and a direct kick but could not muster a quality shot on goal in the opening eight minutes. Chestatee best chance in the early was a direct kick with a header toward the goal seven minutes in that was snared by Gerardo Molina without allowing a rebound shot.
Johnson's next best chance came with 22 minutes left in the first half on another long throw-in by Victor Azuara but Calderon was able to punch the ball out and the War Eagles were able to gain control of the loose ball.
Chestatee's Junior Nogueda knifed through the Johnson defense but was denied a clear shot just inside the box by the Knights defense as they were able to steal the ball.
Johnson's Rigo Campa had a 50-yard free kick with 19 minutes left but looped a shot just wide. The Knights' Bryant Anaya bounced a 40-yard free kick moments later but Calderon denied a rebound shot.
The Knights generated another free kick by Anaya on a Chestatee foul but Calderon snared the shot at the goal line in front of four Johnson attackers with 12:40 left.
Chestatee got its first corner with 12:40 left in the first half but could not get a shot on goal. The War Eagles generated a free kick just outside the goal box with 9:40 left but the direct shot sailed high. Less than a minute later Arnold Gamez pushed a 25-yard blast wide left of the goal for Chestatee after a scramble for the ball.
Chestatee had the first scoring chance in the second half when Gamez blasted a 40-yard shot that sailed just over the crossbar in the fifth minute. Johnson answered with a run moments later with Campa getting a 30-yard free kick that Calderon grabbed before the Knights could get a header.
Johnson broke the scoreless tie on a free kick. Isaac Henry lofted a shot on goal from 30-yards out that Calderon punched out. But the ball hung in the air a moment too long and Campa was able to steer a header into the open net with 32:21 left in the match for a 1-0 lead.
Two minutes later the War Eagles had a chance to tie but Juan Mejia's 30-yard free kick sailed just wide left with 29:25 left. Moments after that Chestatee got another solid chance with a blast by Nogueda from 10-yards out but it sailed just over the crossbar with 28:20 left.
Johnson had a golden chance to add to its lead with 16 minutes left getting four shots from point-blank-range with Calderon punching out a sure goal at the last second. The flurry resulted in a corner for the Knights with another shot on goal but Calderon was able to keep Chestatee within one goal.
The War Eagles finally were able to get the equalizer with 10:16 left in the match. Jonathan Pedraza gained control in the middle of the field after a scramble right of the goal. The senior midfielder then looped a perfect shot over the outstretched arms of Molina from 25-yards out to tie the game at 1-1.
"A tremendous goal," Herrin said.
The Knights nearly retook the lead with just over six minutes left on a beautifully executed free kick. Henry looped a pass that Edgar Torres headed toward an open net. But Calderon made late diving stop to keep the game tied.
The Knights generated a corner with four minutes left but Calderon was able to punch out two header attempts and force another corner. The Knights just missed on another header 30 seconds later.
Johnson began the PK phase but Torres's try was stopped by Calderon to give Chestatee the opening advantage. But the War Eagles' Edwin Villafranco hit the post on their first attempt to keep it even.
Anaya would score for the Knights in the second round and Molina made a diving save on Mauricio Morales's attempt to give Johnson the lead. But Campa would miss wide right for the Knights and Gamez scored for Chestatee to tie the game.
Johnson retook the lead in the fourth round on a goal by Marcos Vasquez and a miss by Arturo Leal for Chestatee. That set the stage for Gonzalez's winning goal in the fifth round.
CHESTATEE GIRLS 2
JOHNSON 1
Chestatee got a much-needed Region 8-AAAA win but was taken to the wire winning the match in penalty kicks (3-1).
Nina Burgess, Merrie Barnett, and Sadie Foote each scored for the Lady War Eagles (7-4, 4-2 Region 8-AAAA) in the penalty kick phase while only Evelin Avita was able to score for the Lady Knights (2-8-1, 2-4). Johnson narrowly missed on three of its four penalty kicks, the final miss by Kelsey Dumanowsky to clinch the victory.
It was a defensive battle throughout as neither team could find the net in regulation time and the first five-minute overtime. In the second overtime, Taylor Buffington gave Chestatee a 1-0 with 3:56 left in the match. That score came 30 seconds after the Lady Knights could not capitalize on a two-on-none breakaway as Chestatee keeper Tyler Bennett was able to make the save.
But the Lady Knights would get the equalizer with 1:12 left in the second overtime on a handball in the goal box by Chestatee. Johnson's Stephanie Barron was able to get the PK goal to send to the penalty kick phase.
The win for the Lady War Eagles kept them in the playoff race. Chestatee came into the match clinging to a tie for third with Madison County. The Lady War Eagles hold tiebreaker over the Lady Red Raiders with a 5-1 win two weeks ago.
The loss for Johnson puts the Lady Knights in a virtual must-win in the final two region matches to have any chance to get into the final playoff spot.
Sunday
January 26th, 2025
2:18AM
