As Green Level kicked the ball off in the chilly night under the lights, the Green Hope men’s soccer team was ready to avenge an overtime loss against Green Level earlier in the season.
The game on Oct. 16 started well for the Falcons, getting good shots on goal. Five minutes into the game, following a great cross by Andrew Zagacki (‘25), Tate Jackson (‘25) came from the left side to head the ball in. The referee called Jackson offsides, taking the goal off the board, Jackson stating, “I felt like I was onsides, but I still had lots of confidence that we would win the game.” Zagacki echoed his thoughts saying, “I was proud that we were able to be on the offensive early, and I knew that more goals would come.”
Through the rest of the first half, the Falcons controlled possession, with several shots on goal but none reaching the back of the net. Going into the half, with the score tied 0-0, Green Hope was feeling confident. Zagacki stated, “I knew we were dominating the game and that we had more energy. I was confident that if we stuck to the tactics and formations and listened to our coach we would come out on top.”
The energy from the team was evident when Jacob Colberg’s (‘25) shot on goal drew a penalty. Rasmus Peterson (‘24) converted the penalty past the diving Green Level goalie two minutes into the second half.
Following Peterson’s goal, Green Hope worked to extend the lead using the boost of energy they gained, Zagacki commenting, “Right after the penalty we had the momentum, so we were trying to score right away.” The Falcons maintained possession and continued to stay on the offensive. Midway through the second half, Jacob Colberg (‘25), the conference leader in goals and points, had a shot go off the post keeping the game at a 1-0 Green Hope advantage.
As the clock ticked past five minutes remaining, Green Level scored on a goal into the top left corner. The clock stopped with 4:50 remaining and the game tied 1-1.
The final minutes were ticking down and the impact of the cold was evident. The players on the sideline stood to stay warm and everyone’s breath was visible. Jackson, who played all eighty minutes of the game, explained the conditions, “It was really cold, my hands were becoming numb, the ball felt harder and the field was becoming slippery, but it is just something we had to overcome to get [the win].”
With both sides dealing with the cold and looking at the possibility of overtime, Green Hope was able to find another gear. With less than 90 seconds remaining, Brady Lessard (‘25) crossed the ball from the right sideline into the box. Tracking the ball, Zagacki was prepared for the moment. He stated, “Because Brady is a right winger and left-footed, I knew that he was going to curve it towards the back post. I knew that that’s what he would be doing since we practiced services towards the back post.” As he followed the ball, Zagacki knew he just needed to redirect the ball to get it past the keeper. Zagacki continued, “As I followed [the ball] up, I remember I got a touch of my body and it found the back of the net.”
After the ball went in, the players on the sideline raced to the corner, celebrating with Zagacki who slid on two knees in celebration. However, there was still a minute left between Green Hope and a victory. With Green Level kicking off, the defense made a stand— keeping Green Level from getting a good shot on goal.
After their final two regular season games, the Falcons will begin their state tournament run. Last year they made it to the third round where they fell to the eventual state champions.
