POWDER SPRINGS, Ga. — Was it a coronation or a passing of the torch?
Johnson’s 4-2 win over Westminster in the Class 4A state championship on Thursday at Cantrell Stadium at McEachern High School was perhaps a little of both.
The title was the second straight for the Knights (21-0), who won the Class 5A title in 2022. It also likely sealed a final national No. 1 ranking in the United Soccer Coaches High School national rankings poll due out in June.
But the win also put a heavy dose of cement on the Knights’ claim to be the new King of the Pitch in Georgia. In the last two seasons, they knocked off the No. 2 program in state titles (St. Pius, 12) and now Westminster, who came in with the most soccer titles in state history (14).
Thursday’s win was their third title since 2018. They also own two wins over Dalton the past two seasons, who won its third title since 2018 on Thursday with a 2-0 win over Midtown in Class 5A.
“The guys worked hard and earned this,” coach Frank Zamora said afterward. “I’ll put my guys up against any team anywhere. We’ll know when that final ranking comes out, but I don’t think there’s a better team in the country.”
The win also was a passing of the torch on the field as Edgar Vazquez gave a glimpse of what the 2024 campaign could look like. The junior scored two goals and added an assist as the Westminster defense focused considerable attention on senior Jorge Sandoval, the program’s third all-time leading scorer.
Vazquez’s 20-yard blast on a direct kick with 14:17 left would be the eventual game-winner.
“I just felt like I had to help my team,” Vazquez said of his performance. “We usually run a set play, but I was just feeling it (on the direct kick) on ripped it. There were tears running down my face when it went in.”
Sandoval, who would finish with 83 career goals for the Knights, put the final stamp on it, chipping in a shot with 4 seconds left after a long run through the Wildcats’ defense.
“I have been blessed,” Sandoval said. “To go out this way is just a dream come true. Winning two titles is just amazing. I don’t think there is a better team in the country than this one. Great players from back to front all over the field.”
The opening 20 minutes was an offensive showcase. Johnson went on the attack from the opening kickoff. The Knights’ first great chance came in the 2nd minute on a Ramon Aguilar run down the left side with a beautiful cross to Vazquez, whose header sailed just over the crossbar.
But Vazquez did strike two minutes later. He gathered in a pass and muscled past a pair of Westminster defenders, ending with a monster 15-yard blast on Wildcats’ keeper Lucas Searl. But Searl could not control the shot, and Vazquez found the rebound and beat Searl on a wicked angle from right of the goal for a 1-0 with 36:22 left in the half.
The Knights extended their lead to 2-0 when Aguilar started a run into Wildcats territory. He gave it up to Vazquez, who connected on a beautiful feed to Daniel Trujillo, who beat Searl for a 2-0 lead in the 17th minute.
But the Wildcats answered just over a minute later when Campbell Henn buried a rocket 30-yard blast into the top right corner over Hernandez to trim the lead to 2-1 with 22:25 left. It went to the half that way.
Both teams went on the offensive to start the second half as well. The Wildcats nearly tied it on another Henn blast from 25 yards, but Hernandez made a great tip save over the bar. Johnson, a minute later, almost increased its lead on a beautiful feed from Vazquez to Sandoval inside the box. But Sandoval’s chip shot just missed to the right.
Westminster then got the big break of the match at the time when Johnson’s Miguel Duran brought down Noah Cooney inside the Johnson box. Cooney buried the penalty kick with 36:50 left in the match to tie the game at 2.
The two goals were the first time this season the Knights had allowed more than one in any match, and it was just the seventh goal allowed in 2023 by the Johnson defense.
Sandoval had a golden opportunity to reclaim the lead in the 61st minute when he got past the defense on a run down the left side. But he could only get a weak shot off trying to make a move around Searl, who grabbed the ball off his foot.
Westminster had a corner with a chance to take the lead, but the Johnson defense cleared the loose ball in front of the net.
Then the Knights went to work down the stretch.
Keeper Kristian Hernandez made two solid saves to preserve the lead and the win.
“He made some great saves and just does what he always does,” Zamora said of Hernandez.
Zamora again stated his group deserves whatever accolades come its way. But he also used the “D” word when looking to the future.
“We’re state champs again, and they deserve this,” he said. “This is a special group that put the work in to get here. I”m proud of them and happy for them.
“But our goal all along has been to build a lasting program. People perhaps think we’re building a dynasty, and this is just the next step in being able to hopefully do that.
“The guys before this group set the foundation, and these guys built on that. Now, the next group hopefully can keep it going.”
Five starters from Thursday’s match, including Vazquez, are expected to return for the Knights in 2024.
