Watch Highlights and replays from the Ford Game of the Week: OSSAA Soccer State Championships – Saturday, May 11, 2019 – 4A boys, 4A girls and 6A boys.
Replay: Oklahoma City Southeast vs. Fort Gibson (4A Boys)
Southeast won its first-ever state championship in boys soccer Saturday, preventing a three-peat by Fort Gibson with a 3-1 win.
After an initial feeling-out period, a Fort Gibson corner kick led to pin-balling action in front of the Spartans’ net. Jose Estrada smacked the ball into the net to give the Tigers a 1-0 lead in the 8th minute.
But Southeast was the more aggressive team, creating many more offensive opportunities. The Spartans tied the game before halftime, and snagged a 2-1 lead after a string of crisp passes.
On a nearly identical play in the 75th minute, Josue Guzman beat the Fort Gibson keeper 1-on-1, setting off a raucous celebration for the Spartans. Guzman stripped his shirt off in response, a beaming smile plastered across his face.
Southeast cared little about the automatic yellow card Guzman received, calmly draining the remaining time off the clock by dominating possession.
Fort Gibson had three free kicks late in the second half, including two just outside of the box, but could not convert any of them into goals.
Highlights: Oklahoma City Southeast vs. Fort Gibson
Replay: Clinton vs. Verdigris (4A Girls)
Verdigris’ starting keeper is out due to illness, and her replacement played in just her third high school game at that position on Saturday.
That proved critical during the 4A girls championship game, as Clinton’s offensive machine took full advantage.
Aubrey Gonzales made Verdigris pay in the 24th minute, lofting a beautiful, arching free kick off her left foot and tucking it into the left side of the net to give Clinton a 1-0 lead.
Later in the first half, Gonzales sprinted down the left sideline past one defender, then dribbled around two others before easily beating the keeper 1-on-1 for her second goal.
Leading 2-1 in the second half, Macey Fernandez split two defenders with her pass to Ariana Borjas, who finished the play with a goal to go up 3-1.
Clinton started packing eight defenders in the box, content to lock down Verdigris other than a few feisty counter attacks. Verdigris got off one good shot with 22 minutes left, but it clanked off the top of the crossbar.
Lauren Bulcroft did score a tremendous individual goal for Verdigris. She caught the Clinton keeper off guard by skipping the ball through traffic from a harsh angle and swishing it into the back of the net, tying the game 1-1.
Highlights: Clinton vs. Verdigris
Replay: Union vs. Jenks (6A Boys)
Jenks outlasted Union to win the 6A boys state championship in an instant classic Saturday.
The teams needed 80 minutes of regulation, two 10-minute overtimes and 11 rounds of penalty kicks before the Trojans prevailed.
After making seven consecutive PKs, the Redskins finally missed, hitting the left post. Christian Sosa buried his PK, sending Jenks into a frenzied celebration.
It was a dramatic end to a fierce defensive battle.
Jenks beat Union, 2-1, to open the 2019 season. The two teams allowed a combined 13 goals after that, setting up a rematch for the state championship.
It was not a surprise when the teams played scoreless soccer deep into the second half, despite a handful of credible attacks.
Union controlled possession for the majority of the game, with short, organized passes similar to the Spanish national team.
Jenks, a more free-flowing team, mounted a few furious counter attacks, but the Union defenders closed them down each time.
Then, in the 69th minute, the Jenks keeper failed to control a shot that ricocheted off his chest and hands. A Union player kicked the rebound into the net under the hands of the diving keeper, appearing to give the Redskins a tremendous opportunity to win the game in regulation.
But just three minutes later, Jenks lobbed the ball into the box on a free kick. An initial header bounced off the keeper just in front of the net, and a Jenks player went horizontal to head the ball into the goal.
Neither team scored during the two overtimes.
Highlights: Union vs. Jenks
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