by Stephen M. Lewis
DigitalSports Richmond
slewis@digitalsports.com
(804) 240-2191
After the contest, Blake Carrey said he wouldn’t have been interviewed if the game didn’t go to penalty kicks.
Well, Deep Run wouldn’t be going to the state Group AAA semifinals without Carrey, either.
The junior keeper came up with two huge stops in the PK portion, and Jake Summers converted as the Wildcats survived to beat Great Bridge 4-3 in PKs after a 1-1 tie Tuesday night.
The Wildcats will advance to face Northwest Champion Battlefield, who ousted Northern runner-up McLean 4-1 in PKs, 2-2 in regulation and OT.
Back to Carrey, who stared down two of Great Bridge’s best with their feet, Ryan Fiesta and Sam Hecker, the second and third up for the runner-up from Chesapeake.
“As soon as [Fiesta] kicked it, I realized I went the wrong way,” Carrey said. “As soon as it hit my left foot I was happy about that.
“On the second one, as soon as I saw it going that way I was ecstatic about that.”
So was Deep Run, especially after Jake Summers punched in the final PK to take the match, a 2 1/2-hour epic set to end with the sun up, but finishing under the lights.
“Honestly, I didn’t expect the game to go that far,” Summers said. “I don’t know if you heard, but they got killed in their regional final.
“I think that was part of it, we came out slow and it took us a while to get into the game.”
It didn’t take Paul Duval‘s squad anytime to get focused, pressuring Deep Run up and down the field.
Yes, Great Bridge dropped a 7-0 defeat to Frank Cox in the region final, but that was without star keeper Josh Frecham, who was out with a concussion and who saved many would-be Deep Run goals Tuesday.
It was obviously a different team that Deep Run, ranked second in the nation by ESPN Rise behind Cox, was fortunate to get by.
“We wanted to control what they do,” said Great Bridge coach Paul Duval, leading the Wildcats into their first state tournament in boys soccer in over 30 years. “If we had the chances we would try to counter quickly.
“Deep Run’s a great squad. Probably one of the best soccer matches I’ve seen in high school in 10 years of doing this.”
Great Bridge 0 1 0 0 – 1
Deep Run 0 1 0 0 – 1
* Deep Run wins 4-3 on penalty kicks
GB: Luster
DR: Fubara
Saves: Frecham (GB) 5; Carrey (DR) 9
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