BOYS SOCCER: Adams goes eight deep in shootout to oust Clarkston and win fifth regional crown
BY DAN STICKRADT
SENIOR EDITOR
dan.Stickradt@northoaklandsports.com
Twitter:@LocalSportsFans
UTICA — Dylan Brown was on the ground for two significant occurrences Saturday evening.
One was involuntary — the other was voluntarily.
The Rochester Adams sophomore goalkeeper was knocked over inside 20 minutes of the second half against Clarkston, spending a few minutes on the bench to catch his breath. He also fell to the ground and gave a little prayer immediately following the Highlanders’ 2-1 victory over Clarkston in a Division 1 regional finals at Utica Swinehart Stadium.
Brown made three saves in a shootout, including on Clarkston’s second, fifth and eighth shooters, in helping the unranked Highlanders to the regional crown and first state semifinals since 2009.
“I wasn’t really praying. I was just thankful because I didn’t want them saying anything because they knocked me down (earlier in the game),” said Brown.
“When I think of a PK, it’s not my job to save the PK, it’s (the shooters) job to put it in,” continued Brown. “They think that I have more of a challenge, but I think (the shooter) has more of a challenge.”
It will be Adams’ fifth appearance in the D-1 Final Four in a 16-year span (1999, 2001, 2004, 2009 and 2014). Adams (12-4-7) will face third-ranked and unbeaten Fraser (23-0-3) in the state semifinals Wednesday at 6:30 p.m. at Lake Orion Soccer Stadium.
“The playoffs are a different animal,” admitted Adams sixth-year coach Josh Hickey. “We got it to this point. Clarkston took us out of our game. You have to give them credit. This is six years for me and only one other time have we gone beyond five (shooters in a shootout). We (also) went eight deep against Grand Blanc in 2011 (in the regional semifinals). It’s crazy when we get to that point. Anything can happen.
“Kids who haven’t been taking (penalty kicks), you’re just kind of scrambling,” continued Hickey. “But the kids who went in to do it, did their job, and Dylan (Brown). I think he’s one of the best (penalty kick) savers in the state.”
The Highlanders, honorable mention in the final regular season polls and the OAA Red Division runners-up, rallied back from a late 1-0 deficit and held a 6-5 edge in the shootout to gain the tiebreaker and remain alive in the postseason.
Clarkston lost for the fourth consecutive time to Adams, including 3-1 in September and 2-1 in a shootout in last year’s regional semifinals.
“We had a great run,” said Clarkston coach. “This team overcame a lot of adversity to get here. We have nothing to be a shamed of. Adams is a good team. I have no problem falling to them. That’s our OAA brethren. I wish them the best of luck.”
Clarkston (12-7-5) held a 18-10 shots edge in the game, which featured two 10-minute overtime periods, and had a 12-4 advantage with shots directly on frame. The Wolves, now 1-4 all-time in regional final games, went ahead with 20:18 left in the first half when Jake Hollberg scored off a feed through traffic by Alex Komatz.
A shoving match following the Brown injury resulted in a red card ejection to an Adams player and forced the Highlanders to play the remainder of regulation and overtime with only 10 players on the field. Adams dominated play after that point despite being down a man.
The Highlanders finally netted the equalizer with 5:44 remaining in regulation when senior Vinnie Demarco ripped a free kick from 20 yards out from the goal that ricocheted off Clarkston’s defensive wall and into the net.
Adams senior Kevin Lecioni, the Highlanders’ leading scorer with 17 goals, said that his team has banded together for an unexpected run to the Final Four.
“I believe this is the first time our program has been to back-to-back regional finals,” smiled Lencioni. “It means a lot to win it because last year we were so close. We lost in overtime to Traverse City (West) and this year we managed to fight through us being down a goal, even down a man, and our keeper getting injured. We just fought through absolutely everything that got thrown at us, and in the end, our heart I guess won out.”
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