Lawrence High's boys soccer team was golden on Thursday night.
LHS earned its first win of the season by defeating Free State, 3-2, on senior Clint Akerberg's Golden Goal with 5:25 remaining in the first overtime period under the lights at the Youth Sports Inc. fields.
"Absolutely amazing," said LHS coach Chris Bertrand, whose team improved to 1-6 this season and 3-0 all-time against the Firebirds. "You almost hate to have a winner in such a close game. Everyone worked so hard. But it's just such a great feeling. I feel so happy for the kids."
Akerberg received the ball from senior Tom Grubbs, made a couple moves and blasted a shot from 20 yards out, capping the comeback.
"It was just a run-on ball," Akerberg said. "I just had to take one touch and I was past the last defender. I just had to put it away in the corner. It goes out to our whole team. I didn't do anything. It was a great ball.
"It was the team that put this thing together."
The Lions jumped up 1-0 on the Firebirds (1-9) thanks to sophomore Joey Kelly's goal in the fourth minute. Kelly worked the ball up the right side before sending a shot across the field and off the far post into the net.
But Free State answered.
"The first half was as good of soccer as my team has played ever," FSHS coach Jason Pendleton said. "Absolute best soccer we have ever played."
The Firebirds knotted the game on senior Colin Baumchen's goal off a pass from senior Pat Watkins in the 17th minute. Two minutes later Free State took the lead on senior Todd Wilkins' blast from 30 yards out.
"I think we played really well," Wilkins said. "I don't believe there were any cards. We played clean. It was a clean, hard-fought game and we just came up short. You hate to lose here, but this wasn't our main objective.
"Our main objective is going on in regionals and going all the way through to state, as far as we can."
Neither team could score again until the Lions tied the game on junior Zach Hemenway's tally in the 54th minute. Hemenway almost scored the game-winner in the 72nd minute but his short-range shot deflected off the post and was cleared by the Firebirds.
Free State also had its chances to win in regulation, but couldn't convert on direct kicks in the closing minutes.
"I don't think there's anything I can say after a loss like that that can lessen the affect of losing a game that meant so much to them," Pendleton said. "I just told them, 'All you can do in life is give 100 percent effort.' And they did that."
The first-year Free State coach was distraught after the loss.
"Right now it just hurts," Pendleton said. "For me, that's about as tough a loss as I've had just because the kids worked so hard."
Conversely, Bertrand -- as well as the LHS followers among the 800 fans in attendance who stormed the field afterward -- were ecstatic.
"It feels great. I don't do a thing. I'm just the coach," Bertrand said. "It's the kids that get out there and have that intensity. I just wish we could have it every game. I think they're learning. They are learning that. Kudos to the kids tonight."
-- Robert Sinclair's phone message number is 832-7185. His e-mail address is rsinclair@ljworld.com.
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