By: Peter Yarnell

Co-Editor

7 p.m. on a crisp, cool Wednesday night. The boys were chasing something more than just a win, but rather a statement. After 100-plus minutes and a 5–4 win in penalty shootouts, the Hammond Golden Bears prevail in their first-round playoff game against the 4-seeded Southern Bulldogs!

Ethan Shin, Nicolas Moreno, Abdul Bah, Pavand Zangana, and Conrad Westfall all led the troops in the shootout, going a perfect 5/5 from the line. Junior goalie Mynor Hernandez held his own, clawing out 1 save in PKs to help the boys seal the win.

“I was feeling unbelievably relieved after scoring the last pen and very grateful for the whole team,”junior Ethan Shin stated.

Senior defender Pavand Zangana said his thoughts during the PKs were, “Please God don’t let it end here,please God don’t let me let my team down.” Long story short, he clutched up, made the shot, and won.

Junior standout Abdul Bah also wanted to turn to his faith, mentioning, “I’m here for a reason, God, please help me.”

Three one-hundred-minute games for the Golden Bears this year, added with multiple overtime games throughout the season, really helped prepare the boys for this moment. They were familiar with these types of games and took that to their advantage tonight, getting the last laugh.

The Bears finished the season with a 2–7–3 record, with 6 of these 7 losses coming in a one-score games. Things felt like they were always going the other way, and close games kept slipping away. That was only fuel, because over 100-plus minutes later and a frisky away-game environment, the Bears edged out a statement win.

Coach Elliot, a fan favorite, states, “It was a gutsy, character win. We did not play our best by any means, but we got the job done, which at this point in the season is all that matters.” One thing about Coach is that he knows how to get those boys turnt! Junior Nicolas Moreno spoke about their grittiness as well, saying, “We fought hard all the way till the end and we got what we deserved. It felt amazing when we won in pens, and we’re onto the next round.”

What’s Next

The stage is set with a fiery rematch against the top-seeded River Hill Hawks. A heartbreaking loss last year sent the boys packing, and with a bad taste in their mouth, they seek revenge in their regional semifinal matchup Saturday.

Their previous matchup came on September 11th, where both teams scored their respective goals and called it a day, tying 1–1. Emotions are boiling as this highly anticipated game falls on Halloween Saturday, solidifying itself as a game to remember.

All-County attacker Abdul Bah shares a heartfelt message to leave the people, saying, “Last year this was a hurdle that we didn’t jump over, and watching 4-year varsity seniors cry as that was their last game defeated me and the rest of my teammates. We have another opportunity to take what’s ours and reach our goal of the regional final.”