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Holy Angels wins 1A championship with dramatic overtime goal

By DAVID LA VAQUE, Star Tribune , 10/31/19, 2:45PM CDT

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Sophomore Noah Hermanson scored with 10 seconds left to give the Stars a 3-2 victory over defending champion Blake.


Noah Hermanson (3) of Holy Angels dashed across the field with teammates after scoring the winning goal in overtime to defeat Blake 3-2 for the Class 1A championship. Photo: Jerry Holt • Jerry.holt@startribune.com

Time ticked away in overtime of the Class 1A boys’ soccer tournament championship game. Gut-wrenching penalty kicks would likely decide the outcome. Holy Angels sophomore Noah Hermanson wanted out.

Hermanson turned to the Stars’ bench with 1 minute and 13 seconds left in the game Thursday at U.S. Bank Stadium. He told coach James See to sub him out, thereby making him ineligible to participate in penalty kicks.

See corrected him. Even players on the bench could be called upon. But forget all that, the coach said. Just believe.

Hermanson ultimately made the conversation moot. His left-foot shot twisted and turned through the air and into the back of the Blake net for a 3-2 victory with 10 seconds left.

“I was trying to put it far side, but it deflected and kind of chipped up more,” said Hermanson, who was set up by a pass from sophomore Shalim Montes Hernandez. “At first, I saw it go [right] and I thought, ‘Oh shoot, I missed the net.’ Then it just kept spinning back in.”

The Stars (21-0-1) edged defending champion Blake (17-5) and completed an undefeated season. The program earned its first state title after placing second in 2000 and 2001.

First report

Noah Hermanson’s goal late in overtime sealed a 3-2 victory in the Class 1A boys’ soccer state tournament championship game and an undefeated season for Holy Angels.

The Stars (21-0-1) edged defending champion Blake (17-5) on Hermanson’s left-foot finish from about 15 yards away on Thursday at U.S. Bank Stadium.

Holy Angels had built a 2-0 lead on a first-half goal from Porter Ball, who beat two defenders, and one early in the second half from Conor O’Rourke, the Class 1A Mr. Soccer award recipient.

Blake showed a champion’s resolve, however, and sent the game to overtime.

First, Keegan James buried a penalty shot. The tying goal started with a Benji Pomonis steal of the goalkeeper’s throw. A left-foot pass from Pomonis came next. Howard Henderson headed the ball toward Jackson Lagos for the finish.

The game appeared headed for a penalty kick shootout until Hermanson's goal with 11 seconds left in overtime.

Check back later for more on the game.