GEORGETOWN — Nothing in high school soccer can match the agony or the thrill of a late winner at the UIL State Soccer tournament.
San Elizario has now experienced both sides in the last 12 months and Wednesday night, with a 97th minute penalty from Eduardo Marquez, the Eagles now know the thrill part of the equation.
Marquez’s penalty, which followed a goal-mouth scramble with 2:07 remaining in the second overtime period, was the only goal in San Elizario’s 1-0 victory over Navasota in a Class 4A boys soccer state semifinal that earned them a state championship match with Boerne on Friday afternoon.
San Eli will try to bring its fourth state championship back to the El Paso area.
“We’ve had our battles,” coach Max Sappenfield said after his team’s 23rd consecutive win marked the most dramatic of the streak. “You want me to recollect that last time we won in the last second of an overtime? I can remember the most important one and that happened five minutes ago.”
What sophomore Angel Salas recalls was losing on one of the last touches of last year’s state semifinal to Hidalgo in a 1-0 defeat.
“I’ve been part of a 90th-minute winner twice: One was the other team, they scored in the last minute, now it’s our turn so I’m glad that was on our side,” Salas said.
San Eli put nine shots on goal to Navasota’s three and controlled most of the first 90 minutes, though the Rattlesnakes did spend some of the last overtime on the front foot.
That didn’t matter when Marquez lined up a 98th minute corner, which happened when Navasota keeper Juan Vargas, who made several exceptional saves over the course of the night, couldn’t tightrope the end line after corralling a through ball.
The ensuing corner ricocheted around, finally coming out to Noah Mendez, who fired a shot off the crossbar. Vargas tried to punch the ball out, but caught Angel Valdez flush in the face as he went after the rebound.
The official immediately called the penalty and issued a yellow card that ejected Vargas from the ensuing penalty.
Marquez stepped up and fired it in the top left of the net past backup keeper Brandon Mayen.
“This is it, I haven’t got one this late, it’s all a first for me,” Marquez said. “I was pretty sure I was going to score. I never was nervous, I was confident for my shot. It was a good shot.”
That marked a dramatic end to a game that seemed fated for penalties. San Elizario had the better chances, but a team with some injuries to its offense couldn’t find a finishing touch. Navasota didn’t have as many chances, but Eagle keeper Stephen Chairez was big when he needed to be.
“This is fun,” Sappenfield said. “I can’t speak to the past but I can speak to the present. This is a fun moment, this is a fun moment. I was impressed with our fight. I was impressed with this other team, they were physically fit and came at us the entire game.
“They weren’t getting a lot of opportunities, we were getting a lot of opportunities. I was very impressed with my team for that.”
Speaking of opportunities, San Eli gets another on Friday with a chance to bring a fourth Eagles title back to the border.
San Elizario gets Boerne (23-0) in the state championship at 1:30 p.m. Mountain time Friday.
Bret Bloomquist can be reached at bbloomquist@elpasotimes.com; @Bretbloomquist on Twitter.
