ST. CLOUD – This wasn’t the way things had typically gone for DeLaSalle.

The No. 1-seeded Islanders were used to controlling games, using their speed and touch-passing skills to overwhelm opponents. But Chaska was dominating the Islanders on Wednesday at Husky Stadium in St. Cloud, getting plenty of chances.

No matter. The manner in which the Islanders won may have been different, but the outcome was not. DeLaSalle defeated Chaska 2-1 in overtime when forward Michael Wageman headed in a picture-perfect crossing pass from teammate Christian Kardio in the final minute. 

The victory sends DeLaSalle to the Class 1A championship on Thursday in its first trip to the state tournament.

“That was definitely the best goal of my life,” Wageman said. “Christian gave me a perfect pass and all I had to do was tap it in.”

To that point, it appeared that the Islanders’ dream season would end in the semifinals. Chaska controlled play for most of the game, using speed in the middle to keep pressure on the DeLaSalle defense.

After a scoreless first half, DeLaSalle made one of its few forays into the Chaska penalty box count when Chris Riera chipped in his own rebound for a 1-0 lead in the game’s 52nd minute.

Chaska ramped up the pressure and it paid off seven minutes later on a Joshua Prater header, tying the game 1-1.

The Hawks had several terrific chances over the rest of the second half and into overtime, including shot by Jose Cholico in overtime that banged off the post, but close was all they could boast.

“That was very unusual,” Riera said. “We usually play fast and get up on opponents, but they were playing better than us. It’s amazing to think that we won”

Michael Wageman scored on a header off of a beautiful crossing pass by Christian Kardio in the final minute of overtime, lifting top-seeded DeLaSalle to a 2-1 victory over Chaska.

DeLaSalle (19-1-1) will face St. Cloud Apollo, a winner over Mankato West, in Thursday’s Class 1A championship game.

Check back later for more on the game.