CARBONDALE WORKS OVERTIME TO NIP ND IN SOCCERFEST FINAL

For the fourth consecutive year, the Notre Dame Soccer Fest trophy goes to Carbondale.

Zach Hampson scored in the second minute of double overtime to give the Terriers a 2-1, come-from-behind victory over Notre Dame in the championship game of the season-opening tournament Saturday at the old Notre Dame High School soccer field.

Hampson, who scored six goals in Carbondale's three tournament victories, settled the ball in traffic inside the box and ripped a shot into the top right corner of the net.

"I passed it to Matt (Walksler) and the ball was toe poked off his foot back onto mine," Hampson said. "I looked up, and the goalie was already going down. When I saw that, I went upper net."

Saturday's game marked the fourth consecutive year Carbondale (3-0) has won the tournament while knocking out Notre Dame in the process. In 1995 and 1996, the Terriers beat the Bulldogs in the final. Last year, they eliminated Notre Dame in a semifinal.

"It was very important to the guys," said Carbondale coach Dan Frazier, whose Terriers advanced to the championship game with a 10-0 win over Farmington and a 3-0 win over Cape Girardeau Central. "They had never lost here, and these seniors wanted to bring the trophy back to Carbondale once more."

Notre Dame (2-1) gained the early advantage, winning the close balls and generating several golden opportunities.

Midway through the first half - a few minutes after Chris Dirnberger and Zach Miller combined on a chance that ended with the ball bouncing off the post - Miller put the Bulldogs on top 1-0.

Miller ran to a bouncing ball on edge of the box and half-volleyed a shot past Terriers keeper Jay Osberg.

Miller, who is tied with Tommy Wencewicz, Adam Obermiller and Oliver Sanders for the team lead with three goals, led Notre Dame in goal scoring last season.

"He's one of the best in the area at hitting a volley," Notre Dame coach Brad Wittenborn said. "A lot of guys can score on normal shots. Zach can score on the tough ones with either foot."

Late in the first half, Dirnberger nearly made it 2-0, taking a nice feed from Wencewicz and rocketing a shot off the crossbar and over the goal from 25 yards.

At halftime, Notre Dame led 1-0.

Carbondale controlled the action early in the second half, and five minutes in, Brian Kline tied the game. Kline rebounded a header which had caromed off the crossbar, and knocked a header of his own to the right of, and past diving Bulldogs keeper Colin Vandergraaf.

The game remained tied through regulation and the first overtime before Hampson scored the winner.

In the third-place game, Jackson (3-1) defeated Cape Central (1-3) for a second time this season, winning 5-1. As in a 4-0 victory earlier in the week against the Tigers, Nathan Windeknecht scored a hat trick. It was his third three-goal game of the week.

"They just have too much Nathan Windeknecht," said Cape Central coach Tom Doyle. "He's big, strong and fast, and we're not big, strong and fast."

Jackson's Tyler Stearnes opened the scoring 10 minutes into the game and Windeknecht scored at the 33-minute mark for a 2-0 halftime lead.

In the second half, Jackson's Spencer Knowlan and Central's John Lowrance traded goals before Windeknecht iced the game with his final two tallies.