By PAUL GOTHAM
ROCHESTER, N.Y. — Fairport senior Garrett Kucera has done a fair share of wind sprints in his young life.
None as happily as the jaunt he took across the pitch Thursday night at Spencerport Rangers’ Stadium.
Kucera’s “golden goal” in the 84th minute lifted No. 4 seed Fairport to a 3-2 victory over No. 1 McQuaid Jesuit.
“I don’t know if I’ve ever run that fast before,” he said of the celebratory run he made with his teammates to the Fairport student section. “I was just filled with joy.”
Kucera connected on a right-footed strike along the sideline in front of McQuaid bench for his seventh goal of the season.
“I thought maybe drill it low into the ground and try and skip it past the goalie,” he explained of the shot. “Hopefully, someone will touch it or it will get lost and go in like it did.”
The goal capped a rally that saw the Red Raiders scored three unanswered goals.
“When we were down two-to-nothing at halftime, it was just a battle. We kept on battling.”
11:50 remaining in the first overtime: GOAL!!! Garrett Kucera clinched a spot in the Class AA finals for @FCSDSports 3-2 is the final. pic.twitter.com/67eiYd3C5I
— Paul Gotham (@PickinSplinters) October 28, 2021
Both teams took advantage of own goals to get on the scoreboard.
McQuaid grabbed a 1-nil lead when Casey Montesanto’s cross was redirected in the goal by a Fairport defender. Senior Nate Tette followed with his second goal of the season less than 10 minutes before halftime.
“We weren’t playing as a team in the first half,” Kucera said. “At halftime, we talked. We just decided we don’t want to go home. We want to get a chance at the brick.”
A scramble around the six-yard box resulted in Fairport’s first goal less than two minutes into the second stanza. Thirteen minutes later, sophomore Daniel van Aardt nodded in the equalizer off a corner kick.
11:50 remaining in the first overtime: GOAL!!! Garrett Kucera clinched a spot in the Class AA finals for @FCSDSports 3-2 is the final. pic.twitter.com/67eiYd3C5I
— Paul Gotham (@PickinSplinters) October 28, 2021
“We wanted to bounce back,” Kucera noted.
Fairport will make its third straight appearance in the finals.
“We lost last year, so I know a lot of guys are hungry.”
Kucera was a sophomore on the 2019 Faiport that advanced on PKs in the sectional final against McQuaid. That team reached the New York finals.
31’ Nathan Tette weaves his way through traffic and gives @McQuaidJesuit a 2-nil lead. pic.twitter.com/MQYv0iNNQM
— Paul Gotham (@PickinSplinters) October 28, 2021
“Every year I’ve been in the sectional finals,” Kucera said. I”’m really proud of that.
“I didn’t want to go home today. I want to keep playing. I love this team. I know we got a lot of passion. We play for each other, and now we get a chance for a sectional title.”
Fairport (No. 16 NYSSWA Class AA) will face divisional rival Hilton (No.8 NYSSWA Class AA) in Tuesday’s championship. The split two teams split of pair of head-to-head matchups during the season. Fairport (12-2-0) struck first with a 2-o victory on September. Hilton (16-1-1) avenged that setback with a 4-1 win on October 12th.
A 7:30 p.m. start is scheduled at Eastridge High School on Tuesday.
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