Generals Lose Overtime Heartbreaker

The Washington-Lee General boys’ soccer team was 90 seconds away from their first state tournament appearance, but a last minute equalizer allowed the Lake Braddock Bruins to come back 3-2 in overtime.  Keith Ricks scored a pair of go-ahead goals, and the Generals looked to be in control through most of the second half, but in the end they just couldn't hold off the Bruins.  The loss snapped an 11-game winning streak and the Generals concluded their amazing run with a record of 16-2-1. 

“It’s sad, but it happens,” head coach Jimmy Carrasquillo said afterwards.  “We played hard and knocked the ball around well, but we just couldn’t finish it off today.”

Both teams came out ready to play, as the respective midfield’s displayed the desire to possess and the ability to create.  However, the defenses prevailed in the early going, as neither team scored before the heat-induced water break at the 20-minute mark.

While the Bruins started to get the edge in possession by playing out of the back and using the width of the field, they also began to have trouble with Washington-Lee’s All-Region striker Eric Schmidt.  Schmidt got behind the back four in transition a couple times before finally making Lake Braddock pay with an assist on the opening goal to Ricks.  The Generals maintained the lead until midway through the second half, when Lake Braddock converted on a header from a long free kick. 

The Generals immediately got back on the offensive after allowing their first goal in eight games. Ricks capitalized on a huge goal keeping mistake by Lake Braddock’s Patrick Clark, as his 35-yard shot went right through the raised hands of the Bruin netminder and into the back of the net.    

Then, the Bruins got a lucky bounce of their own. When a desperation long ball took an awkward high bounce away from the charging Robert Dewald and over the head of Lake Braddock’s Jefferson Ortiz, the Bruin striker turned back and bicycle kicked it in the top of the net to stun the Generals and force overtime.

Allowing the first goal may not have affected the Generals, giving up the second after being so close to victory clearly did, and the Bruins took advantage with a quick breakaway goal just two minutes into the first overtime period.

Washington-Lee nearly equalized with a free kick in the closing minutes, but this time Clark pushed it over the crossbar. 

“We really wanted to be that Arlington team to make it to states,” Carrasquillo explained.  “But still we set a high standard for Washington-Lee and gained a lot of respect in the region.”

The Washington-Lee Generals were the closest Arlington team to meet that goal since the 2003 Yorktown Patriots lost in the same stage by the same score in the final minute of the fourth overtime period. Although the Generals will lose three of their top four scorers this year, they will regroup with a great core of players lead by Eric Schmidt and captain defender Jack Beckman.

“It’s been a great ride,” Carrasquillo said. “We just need to learn from it, then come back and try to do it again next year.”