Set and match - The Oakland Press

PREP SOCCER

Set and match

Heavyweight bout requires OT as fifth-ranked Adams gets past No. 3 Troy in regionals, 2-1

Rochester Adams senior Brady Adragna (3) celebrates with teammates after scoring the game-winning goal in overtime to help the fifth-ranked Highlanders defeat No. 3 Troy 2-1 in Tuesday’s D1 regional semifinal at Hurley Field in Berkley. PHOTOS BY BRYAN EVERSON — MEDIANEWS GROUP

Within a sea of Rochester Adams’ attackers and his own defenders, Troy’s Johnny Worrell (9) heads a ball away from goal in the first half of Tuesday’s regional semifinal in Berkley. The Highlanders beat the Colts in overtime, 2-1.

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By Bryan Everson

beverson@medianewsgroup.com

BERKLEY >> Tuesday night’s battle of OAA Red heavyweights Rochester Adams and Troy had all the twists and turns that Highlanders head coach Josh Hickey told his team to expect.

And while they may not have expected overtime, the No. 5 Highlanders made the most of it, scoring in the second period of overtime to beat third-ranked Troy, 2-1, and advance to Thursday’s D1 regional final.

Required to find another goal after its lead of over a half-hour was erased, the wait for Adams lasted until 6:13 remained in extra time. To no surprise, after both goals in regulation came off set pieces, so did the winner. The Highlanders won a foul just inside the opposing half, and a long free kick delivered by Salvatore Dinoto found fellow senior Brady Adragna, who battled a Colts defender for a header that found its way to the back of the net.

“To be honest, I just saw the ball up in the air,” Adragna said with his nostrils plugged to prevent from bleeding elsewhere, evidence of his sacrifice on the goal. “I liked where it was, went up for the header, and I was able to come up with it and it felt pretty good, you know? It was all really luck. I’m the smallest guy out there, but I was able to find the ball.”

Tempers flared in the final minute before time expired near the fan sideline at Hurley Field, resulting in a red card issued to a player from each team, but it had little impact on the result with so few seconds remaining, and when time expired, Adams’ players rushed the stands, with some leaping to meet fellow students in celebration.

“I was able to create an opportunity that all of us boys will never forget,” Adragna said.

The beginning of the set-piece scoring on the night came from a long throw-in by Adams into the box, initially headed into the air before Highlanders senior Logan Lilla cracked a first-time volley from 20 yards out to take a 1-0 lead with 11:36 left in the first half.

Operating with the lead at intermission, it was then that Hickey instructed his players that playoff affairs such as these never turn out like you think they will. Predictably then, the Colts flipped a switch and asked questions of Adams (15-2-4) in the first five minutes following the break.

Although Troy didn’t equalize quite that fast, the Colts began to draw a free kick or a corner here or there, and eventually it materialized into an answer. A corner by the Colts was whipped to senior Santi Coronado, whose header from roughly a dozen yards distance arched just out of the reach of netminder Reid Dennis and over the line with 21:13 left in regulation.

“When you’re down, and you’re a good team like theirs, you’re going to find a way to get back in it,” Hickey said. “They played in a way that looked like they wanted it more in the beginning of the second half. It doesn’t mean we didn’t want it just as much, but they played and overcame that little barrier that we had talked about at halftime, and got a goal out of it right?

“So then the game changes, and once that happened, we knew we had to get back to our style of play, and that’s what we did. I’m proud of our guys.”

After providing a kick-save that denied Lilla a second goal with six minutes left in regulation, Colts senior goalkeeper Simeon Kolev did well to fend off the best chance of the first 10-minute overtime session, too. Adams’ Alex Rosin benefitted from a rebound off a corner and fired an effort that required Kolev into a near-post save just under three minutes in.

On the prevalence of goals from set pieces between two familiar sides — this was their fifth meeting dating back to 2022, including Adams’ shootout victory in regionals en route to the state title two years ago — Hickey said, “Two defensive teams with good goalkeeping, you’ve got to find your moments. Set pieces are dangerous for a reason, right? I think we both capitalized when we needed to, and luckily enough, we had a second one.”

The Colts, who won the OAA Red by only losing to Adams, finish the year 15-2-4 overall.

As for the Highlanders, they’re on to face Romeo in Thursday’s regional final after the Bulldogs defeated Lakeview 2-0 in the second semifinal of the night in Berkley. That’ll be a rematch of a 1-1 tie back on Aug. 24.