OT goal lifts Saxony Lutheran to district soccer title

All the Saxony Lutheran boys soccer team had to show for 80 minutes of offensive domination in Wednesday's Class 1 District 1 championship game against McKinley Classical Leadership was a scoreless tie.

But fate dealt Saxony yet another chance early in the first overtime, and this time the Crusaders converted.

Luke LeGrand's goal on a penalty kick less than five minutes into overtime gave the Crusaders a 1-0 victory and a berth in next week's Class 1 sectional.

"It's great," LeGrand said after the game. "It's been a lot of hard work this season. We've played a lot of hard teams, and it paid off. It definitely paid off."

The Saxony bench erupted after LeGrand's kick found the corner of the net just past the reach of McKinley goalkeeper Kyree Hamilton. Saxony players and fans swarmed the field to celebrate the Crusaders' first district title since 2010. That year the Crusaders emerged as the victors in an eight-team bracket. This season, the district tournament included just three teams after MSHSAA expanded to four classes in both boys and girls soccer.

"Not only did we win a district title in overtime," said LeGrand, one of three seniors on the Saxony roster, "but we did it in front of our home fans. Everybody that we love is out here cheering us on. It's so important to see everybody out here. I'm just glad God gave us this opportunity to be out here."

Saxony coach Max Wieser admitted feeling a little uneasy heading into overtime despite his team's offensive dominance, which saw the Crusaders outshoot McKinley 30-1 for the game.

"Anytime you go into overtime, you're always apprehensive because that means it's even. That's all there is to it," Wieser said. "I know we had more opportunities, but their main threat is the counterattack, just kicking the ball up and attacking. And they had two or three dangerous (opportunities). But our defense did a good job of keeping their head, being ready for it when it came."

LeGrand's goal snapped a skid that saw the Crusaders (5-16-1) win their first overtime game of the season in eight tries.

"Putting the ball in the back of the net has been one of our struggles this year," Wieser admitted. "We've improved a little bit from last year, but we just need someone that can stick the ball in the back of the net."

The lack of scoring wasn't due to lack of effort. Saxony was denied on several scoring chances in both halves. Freshman midfielder Luke Daniel fired two shots just over the crossbar in the game's first five minutes. About seven minutes in, junior forward Dustin Lorenz headed a corner kick that skipped over the crossbar.

Midway through the second half, senior forward Ryan Palmer hit the crossbar with a shot from 18 yards out and held his head in disbelief as the ball caromed away. Late in regulation, Palmer took a pass up the middle but couldn't get a solid shot off as the McKinley goalkeeper made the easy save, and Palmer cried out in anguish over the missed opportunity.

"All year we've had trouble finishing goals off," Palmer said. "We really had a lot of good chances to put them away early and get some goals early, and we just weren't doing it. But I always had faith in our guys, had faith that we were going to get that goal and we were going to get this victory and get us a championship."

Sophomore midfielder Jacob Wunderlich agreed.

"I thought one of them had to go in sooner or later," Wunderlich said. "We just kept trying and trying, and eventually, we got a chance."

LeGrand said the key was to remain focused and continue to apply offensive pressure.

"If you allow yourselves to get frustrated, those chances are going to start to diminish and become worse," he said. "So you just kind of have to forget about it. You're going to be frustrated for the moment, but you've got to keep going, persevering. It's all about the next chance. If you miss that chance, go on to the next one."

That next one for LeGrand came early in overtime when a McKinley defender was called for a hand ball inside the box, leading to a penalty kick. LeGrand said his plan was to simply put the ball in the back of the net.

"Clear your mind," he said. "Don't think about putting it in any spot, just hit it, try to put it to one side. That's all you've got to think about."

The loss was heartbreaking for McKinley (4-4), a charter school competing in its first season of varsity soccer.

"I don't know we made it to overtime, but we made it," McKinley coach Jon Hoffman said. "One time, one chance was all we needed. I actually thought our goalie had a chance at the save. It's unfortunate the hand ball happened, but it was a good call."