Bluffton heads to state championship match with 4-2 win over Bishop England
Bluffton High School senior Brenden Kelly scored once in the first overtime period, and again in the second overtime, to send the Bobcats to the Class 3A boys soccer state championship match with a thrilling 4-2 victory over Bishop England on Tuesday night in Bluffton.
Kelly put the Bobcats (21-2) up early in overtime after he was taken down just outside the box by Bishop England goalkeeper Owen Cooper. Kelly took the ensuing free kick himself and blasted an absolute ripper around the Bishops’ wall of defenders and past Cooper from 25 yards out.
The Bobcats kept the heat on for most of the first overtime, but Bishop England turned the tables somewhat in the second extra period. James Cox narrowly missed a goal with about four minutes remaining, sending a low shot off the left post.
The Bishops (16-4) made one final surge in the closing minutes, pushing all of their players into attack position. Bluffton’s defense was up to the task, sending a long clearance out of their zone to a wide-open Kelly, who calmly took the ball 40 yards, put a move on Cooper at the top of the box and sent his second goal of the night into the back of the net.
That ended the match, for all intents and purposes, and the Bobcats celebrated their Lower State championship. They will play for the Class 3A state title Saturday afternoon at Irmo High School against either Seneca or undefeated Berea, who squared off in the Upper State final Tuesday night.
For a few tense moments, it appeared as if Bluffton might come up short in the semifinals.
The Bishops took a 2-1 lead in the 53rd minute when forward James Cox kicked the ball seemingly out of Hector Zelaya’s hands as he was attempting to make a save in the goal mouth. That scramble capped off a hectic few minutes for Bluffton’s junior goalkeeper, after he had made a nice save on a header by Cox a minute earlier and had stopped a penalty kick by Cox in the 50th minute.
A Bluffton defender and Bishop England forward got tangled up on a challenge at the top of the box to set up the PK attempt. Zelaya was quick to react, kicking away Cox’s low attempt with a dive to his left, sending the Bluffton crowd into a frenzy. The good feelings didn’t last for long though, as Cox’s go-ahead goal came soon after.
Bluffton turned up the heat in the final 15 minutes of regulation.
Cooper came up with a lead-preserving save with 13 minutes to play, stopping a blast by Bluffton senior D.J. Chappelear from 8 yards out. But Chappelear was able to even it up just 90 seconds later, heading in a bouncing ball on a scramble after a crossing pass from Kelly in front of the net.
The Bobcats didn’t ease up after the tying goal, continuing to attack the Bishops. Cooper made another big save in the final two minutes of regulation, diving to stop a low screamer off the foot of Miguel Gallegos just inside the post.
But that save only delayed the Bobcats’ celebration for a short while, as Kelly’s pair of OT goals eventually sealed the deal.
Kelly also assisted on Bluffton’s opening tally of the game. The Bobcats relied on long attacks for much of the game, and one of them paid off with 15 minutes to play in the first half. Kelly took one down the left sideline and then centered the ball directly in front of the net, where Gallegos out-fought a Bishop England defender and kicked the loose ball right past a flat-footed Cooper.
Bishop England was able to tie the score at 1-1 about six minutes later. Alex Mailloux sent a corner kick to the far post, and Sal Badolato elevated over Bluffton defenders to redirect a header into the middle of the net. Bluffton’s Zelaya had no chance at a save, as the momentum of the corner kick had him going the other way.
This story was originally published May 9, 2017 at 9:36 PM with the headline "Bluffton heads to state championship match with 4-2 win over Bishop England."