By PAUL GOTHAM
ROCHESTER, N.Y. — Gary Cooper connected on the game winner in the first overtime period, and No. 8 Greece Arcadia defeated No. 9 Greece Athena, 1-0 in Section V Class AA Boys’ Soccer action, Tuesday night.
Cooper took advantage of a second chance inside the 18-yard box to send Arcadia to the quarterfinals.
“It’s definitely a lot of emotions right now,” said the senior forward playing in his final home game. “I’m just so blessed. What other way would you want to finish at home?”
The final play started along the right flank with Ben Mitzler serving a free kick from 45 yards out. Aidan Byrnes used his head to flick the initial ball from the right side of the 18-yard box toward the far post. A clearing attempt was made, but the ball landed in the middle third of the field.
Players battled for possession before Brennan Dornberger’s shot was stopped. Cooper gathered the rebound and took a touch to his left before putting the game winner inside the far post.
“I saw the ball come in and I saw everyone missing it,” he said. “I ran straight for it. I tried to turn and hit it. It went off somebody. It just came right back to me, and I tried to put it away. It’s crazy.”
GOLDEN GARY COOPER. @SoccerArcadia advances with a 1-nil victory. pic.twitter.com/2ksM7T2Prc
— Paul Gotham (@PickinSplinters) October 18, 2023
It was the third time this season the crosstown rivals faced each other. Athena (7-8-1) took the first meeting on September 1st, 2-1. Arcadia (9-7-0) avenged that setback with a 5-1 victory on October 6th. That was the first of three Titan wins in four games heading into Tuesday’s match.
VIEW MORE PHOTOS FROM JENNIFER LAEMLEIN.
Ryan Schumacher, though, looked intent on denying the home side a victory. The Athena keeper made five saves in the second half including a pair of diving stops to frustrate Arcadia.
“We had to step up and everyone had to start playing their game because it took us a while to get going,” Cooper said. “As soon as we got going, we started stringing passes together, started pressing. The boys were hungry. We had to get that.”
Big saves from Ryan Schumacher. @AthenaHigh pic.twitter.com/Kee9aQzwoM
— Paul Gotham (@PickinSplinters) October 17, 2023
Arcadia’s Kasey Conrow made four saves for the shutout – the junior’s fifth clean sheet of the season.
The meeting was the first in the postseason between the two teams since 2019 when Athena outlasted Arcadia, 3-2 in the Class A1 championship game.
Arcadia will travel to face top-seeded Spencerport in the quarterfinals on Friday.
“It feels really nice,” Coooper said. “It’s the last season. It’s kinda sad, but I’m happy we’re still going. We’re still going. We’re going to keep going strong.”
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