On a rainy Wednesday night, the #2 seeded Jesuit Crusaders completed a gutsy comeback win against the #15 seeded McNary Celtics. A game-tying goal from Grant Sasaki and a winner from Logan McGuire with time running out helped an experienced Crusaders team continue their state championship run, winning 3-1.
Jesuit, heading into the matchup after a narrow win in penalties against Forest Grove, looked to round back into form against a McNary team that had won their last 5 contests including a 2-0 win against North Medford in the first round.
Despite a revamped mentality and adjusted game plan in the second round, McNary threw the first punch. After a foul just outside of the penalty box, junior Jonathan Ruiz was awarded a free kick. Goalkeeper Elliot Parelius was prepared in goal, but it didn’t matter. Ruiz had buried it in the top right corner and given McNary a strong 1-0 lead heading into halftime.
After a strong message from Coach Skipper during halftime, Jesuit came out with intensity and grit. Pressing on defense, they were able to control more possession, but still faced a 1-0 deficit with only 10 minutes left in the match. Jesuit, at risk of being on the wrong end of a huge upset and a disappointing playoff run, kept pressing.
With 9 minutes left, Jack Reding controlled the ball in the midfield, sending in a cross to Caden Hoppes in the left side of the penalty box. Deciding to not take a shot on the volley, he smoothed a header to the other side of the goal, where Sasaki buried it to tie the game. An encouraged and motivated Jesuit team would hold on to send the game into overtime.
An experienced defensive line including seniors Kogen Albertini and Griffin Scott toughened up on that side of the ball, disrupting a smaller McNary front line, and locked the Celtics down for the remainder of the game.
With 20 seconds left in the first half of overtime, Nathan Peters played a magnificent ball that was bobbled by a Celtic defender, ending up in the foot of McGuire, who was able to sneak it by the goalie for a wild goal.
In the second half of overtime, junior Caden Hoppes had a throw in on the left side of the field. With immense strength, he threw in a great ball that again ended up in the possession of McGuire, and he snuck it by the goalie to seal the deal for an emotional Jesuit squad.
“At halftime, we regathered ourselves and motivated each other to not let a great season come to an end,” Hoppes said. “We did a good job of pressing defensively and knew that we stayed patient near the penalty box and gave ourselves chances one of them would fall eventually.”
Jesuit showed resilience and determination Wednesday night, and proved that they were going to be a force to be reckoned with for the remainder of the OSAA playoffs.
They face the #10 West Linn Lions on Saturday, looking to advance to the quarterfinals after two clutch wins to start their defending championship run.
