After 15 minutes of game time on Friday, one thing was clear – either Archie Williams or Terra Linda High was going to need to cap an incredible comeback to claim the fourth and final MCAL boys soccer playoff spot.
The Peregrine Falcons went winless across their first six games of the season but came roaring back to remain alive in the season’s final game. Archie Williams scored three times – all by Tiernan Bratcher – in the first 15 minutes and appeared to be putting the finishing touches on a remarkable season-long comeback story.
Then it was Terra Linda’s turn to fashion an amazing comeback, albeit over a much shorter time frame. TL needed to score three times in the last 75 minutes of the game and pitch a shutout the rest of the way and did just that. Roan Goertz scored the game winner in the 72nd minute to give TL a 4-3 victory and the last spot in next week’s playoffs.
“It feels so good now that we have a playoff spot,” Goertz said. “We’ve been working so hard this season. We haven’t been playing the greatest recently but this is a super big (win) for us. We needed it a lot.”
TL (9-5-2, 9-5-2 MCAL) faces top-seeded Redwood at 3 p.m. Wednesday in Larkspur while Novato hosts Tam in the other semifinal.
The game-winning goal came about after TL played the ball out wide to Elvin Maldonado, who maintained control of the ball at pace and gained separation from his defender before firing a shot off the near post. The ball ricocheted all the way out to Goertz.
“(Elvin) hit the post. (The ball) is bouncing out to me outside the box and I hit it first time, wrong sided the keeper and it goes bottom right,” Goertz said.
TL navigated a nerve-wrecking last 10 minutes, surviving a number of dangerous corner kicks, set pieces and long throw-ins for Archie Williams (8-6-3, 8-6-2).
“The last 10 minutes for sure were an emotional rollercoaster,” TL midfielder Kleber Maldonado said. “Our goalie stepped up. We also stepped up and got it done. I’m really proud of us.”
The emotions TL players experienced after the final whistle were a far cry from the ones they experienced after conceding twice in the opening five minutes.
“Truthfully you think your season’s over when you go down 2-0 in the first five (minutes) and you’re down 3-1 in the first 14,” TL coach Mike Crivello said.
Elvin Maldonado, who had scored TL’s first goal of the game, provided another lifeline with a goal in the 24th minute to pull the Trojans within 3-2.
Chris Maldonado assisted on the first two TL goals and was at times unguardable with the ball at his feet.
“The first time we played them, we couldn’t even foul him,” Archie Williams coach Rene Ayala said of Chris Maldonado. “He was that quick.”
The Peregrine Falcons came in with a game plan to try to deal with Chris Maldonado better this time around, but it was to no avail.
“That’s what separates TL from a lot of teams,” Ayala said. “You can have the greatest game plan in the world but TL has several guys — not just the Maldonados, but Roan Goertz, too — they have a lot of guys who can create something out of absolutely nothing and the magic comes out at key moments in the game.”
TL equalized on a 45th-minute goal by Leonardo Vicente to tie things at 3-3. TL still needed to find a fourth goal while Archie Williams would have lived to fight another day with a draw — which would have forced a play-in game Saturday between the Peregrine Falcons and San Rafael.
Players from San Rafael High sat in the stands behind TL’s bench hoping for a tie but Goertz dashed those hopes 8 minutes from time, eliminating both Archie Williams and San Rafael in one fell swoop.
“I’m just really proud of the boys,” Goertz said. “I’m excited to play Wednesday against Redwood. I know we’ve played them before but its been a long season. I’m excited for what’s next.”
TL’s big second half put an end to the Peregrine Falcons’ attempts to fight out of on 0-4-2 hole to start the season. Archie Williams took two points out of 18 during those first six games then secured 24 out of a possible 30 points the rest of the way.
“I have nothing but admiration and respect for Rene and everything he does with the Archie program,” Crivello said. “That was an amazing run because they were so far buried. The fact that they got to this game is amazing.”
TL also spoiled a huge performance by Bratcher, who netted the hat trick for Peregrine Falcons.
“(Bratcher) was the highlight of our game tonight,” Ayala said. “He hasn’t had many opportunities to contribute for us this year. Given the matchups that we had — using his size in the box as a big target on throw-ins and corners — we felt Tiernan’s size gave us a huge advantage going into the game.”
