Charlottesville boys soccer wins VHSL Class 4 title – The Daily Progress

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Tied at the end of regulation, the Charlottesville boys soccer team found itself in a familiar position.
A year ago, the Black Knights fell short against Meridian in a penalty kick shootout in the VHSL Class 3 state championship game, but the team had visions of a different outcome when they met Jefferson Forest in this year’s Class 4 state final at Western Albemarle High School.
In the first overtime, a penalty by a Cavaliers defender set up a penalty kick opportunity for the Black Knights. With its main penalty kicker on the bench, Charlottesville turned to freshman Ethan Salvatierra. The youngster had already came up big for his team with a score in the state semifinal contest to help propel the Black Knights squad into Saturday’s matchup with Jefferson Forest.
Charlottesville’s Gilbert Kashindi celebrates winning the Class 4 state championship over Jefferson Forest by performing a backflip while teammate Ethan Salvatierra looks on.
Squaring off against Jefferson Forest senior goalkeeper Tyler Beck, Salvatierra showed nerves of steel, lining up and then sending a kick into the net past a diving Beck for a score.
“I just stepped up there. [Charlottesville coach Martin Braun] didn’t tell me before the game I was going to take [a penalty kick],” Salvatierra said. “But he told me then and I was ready for it.”
The goal put Charlottesville ahead 2-1 and the Black Knights’ defense held on to the advantage for the remainder of the overtime period to claim victory and the state championship.
“Our defense played great,” Braun said. “Jefferson Forest, they rely a lot on long throws and putting the ball in the box and causing chaos. You really have to dig deep and defend well. I thought our goalie played amazing and I thought our defensive line, everybody stepped up and played a great game…We played great today and deserved it.”
Charlottesville’s Thimson Duolo pounds his chest in celebration after scoring in the Charlottesville vs. Jefferson Forest VHSL 4C State Championship boys soccer game on June 8, 2024.
Leading with under five minutes remaining in regulation, it appeared that Charlottesville was destined to earn the state championship. The Black Knights held a 1-0 lead while dominating possession and limiting their opponents’ offensive opportunities throughout the day.
Charlottesville took the lead to start the game when junior Thimson Duolo opened the scoring sent a sailing shot over the outstretched hands of Beck in the 28th minute. The match remained scoreless until late in the second half when the Cavaliers managed to tie the game.
A throw-in from Jefferson Forest’s Andrew Linn Jr. was shot towards goal but a diving stop by goalkeeper Jonathan Irani thwarted the Cavaliers’ initial scoring attempt. Colin Mason collected the rebound and instantly sent a shot over Irani who was on the ground and past the rest of the Black Knight defenders in front of the goal to tie the contest.
“Credit to them, they put a lot of pressure on us,” Braun said. “Once they scored and regulation was over, we just kind of said it’s tied and we can’t cry about it now, let’s go after it and see if we can get a goal.”
Charlottesville players celebrate with fans after defeating Jefferson Forest for the Class 4 state championship on Saturday at Blacksburg High School.
Mason’s score was the first that Charlottesville had allowed in the state tournament after the squad shut out their opponents in their first two matches of the Class 4 bracket. It wasn’t enough to derail the Charlottesville defense, which continued to limit and end attempts by the Cavaliers squad to take the go-ahead score during regulation as well as the extra period.
“Of course it was a little bit disappointing,” Irani said. “But we know we have the class to be able to come back in a game like that. We were able to come back with intensity in the next one and on that penalty, we knew Ethan was going to step up and have the composure to make it.”
“Our defense has been absolutely incredible. They’ve been so strapped up the whole tournament helping us get those wins, those clean sheets. They’ve been able to lock down this field for us.”
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Charlottesville’s Gilbert Kashindi celebrates winning the Class 4 state championship over Jefferson Forest by performing a backflip while teammate Ethan Salvatierra looks on.
Charlottesville’s Thimson Duolo pounds his chest in celebration after scoring in the Charlottesville vs. Jefferson Forest VHSL 4C State Championship boys soccer game on June 8, 2024.
Charlottesville players celebrate with fans after defeating Jefferson Forest for the Class 4 state championship on Saturday at Blacksburg High School.
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