by Brandon Hopp
bhopp@digitalsports.com
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The goal keepers, Perry Hall's Zach Kane and Magruder's Stephen Magliaro, were both named to the All-State Team this season and in Saturday night's Class 4A State Semifinal matchup at CCBC-Essex, they lived up to the billing.
Kane and Magliaro were comparable to stone walls and after two scoreless halves of regulation and overtime periods, not a single ball crossed into the net on their watch by either side.
So the game went into a penalty-kick shootout where the Gators prevailed 3-1 and advance to their second straight 4A State title game.
Last season in the Finals, the Colonels defeated Perry 5-1 on their way to the title. That made Perry Hall's victory even more sweeter last night.
"This is the best feeling after losing to them 5-1 in the State Finals last year," said Kane. "We were up for a little revenge, we held it in our guts and knew we were going to take it this year. This is our year, we're coming for it."
Both teams had their share of chances but the goalies were having none of it.
Kane, named All-State and All-Baltimore County 1st team has 12 shutouts this season. On the other side, Magliano was named to the 2nd team All-State amassed eight shutouts this year.
It appeared during regulation that the team who made just one mistake would fall.
Since neither team made that miscue, the game was decided in the most exciting fashion, the penalty kick.
Perry Hall senior Phil Saunders was the first to shoot. He went right past Magliano to put the Gators ahead. Magruders' Nolan Barden got one past Kane to even the score.
Miguel Medrano was up next and ripped one in. He was followed by Colonels' Brendan O'Connell who missed the shot wide left giving Perry Hall a 2-1 advantage.
After Colin Rome hit the right post, Magruder had a chance to even things up but Girish Chaskar's shot was saved by a diving Kane to hold the lead.
Junior John Shipley put it away for the Gators with his shot and the subsequent save on Jeremy Moyer's shot by Kane on the COlonels last attempt to send the Baltimore County team back to the title game.
"I just thought if I could get a beat on the way he is standing or the way he is reading or the way he's opening up his foot, I'm shooting to the edge of the six, taking them away the angle to the far post and I'm going to get it," said Kane, who credits the defense in front of him.
"[Moyer] had a short two-step drop and usually I fake to one side and go back to the other," Kane said as he relived his big stop. "I said 'I can't do that, I've got to read it' and I thought with him standing that way he's thinking that I was going to go to my left. I said that's probably a lie so I'm going to my right and he's going to his left and luckily, hey, there I was and made the save."
"We knew coming into this game that Magruder was going to be a heck of a matchup for us," said Gators head coach Danny Skelton. "All year long we've been waiting for that chance at redemption, they beat us in the State Final.."
"[Zach] is a remarkable young man, not only is he a phenomenal goal keeper but he's a great young man. College coaches at this point should be all over him...He carries our team, he's definitely our rock."
Perry Hall will face Bowie next weekend at UMBC for the Class 4A State Title.
Class 4A State semifinals
at CCBC-Essex
No. 5 Perry Hall 0, Magruder 0 (PH wins 3-1 in PK)
PH 0 0 0 0 -- 0
M 0 0 0 0 -- 0
Saves: PH--Kane 10; M--Magliaro 8.
Half: 0-0.
Penalty kicks
PH--#11 Phil Saunders good 1-0
M--#10 Nolan Barden good 1-1
PH--#8 Miguel Medrano good 2-1
M--#9 Brendan O'Connell missed 2-1
PH--#7 Colin Rome missed 2-1
M--#21 Girish Chaskar saved 2-1
PH--#18 John Shipley good 3-1
M--#18 Jeremy Moyer saved 3-1
