His coach called it “nasty.” Brookwood’s Alfredo Rivera described it as one scissor left, a move to the right and fire.
However you want to describe it, it was a game-winner; make that a state championship-winner.
Rivera scored a minute into the first overtime period, capping a stunning comeback and leading the Broncos to a 2-1 win over Mill Creek in the Class AAAAAA state championship game Saturday at Kennesaw State.
Mill Creek controlled the majority of a defensive battle and grabbed a 1-0 lead on a header by Jack Giles with eight minutes to play. The Hawks were poised to add to the lead when Jake Creech drew a penalty in the box and was awarded a free kick. But Creech blasted his attempt over the goal, giving the Broncos life.
“We were pretty down after they scored and then got the penalty kick,” said Broncos coach Daniel Klinect, who, after multiple Final Four appearances, won the first state championship of his nine-year tenure. “When he missed, I think it sparked us.”
Brookwood (22-1) took advantage 40 seconds later, with Jordan Locke heading home a perfectly placed corner kick from Brahan Gamarra to tie the game and send it into overtime.
Rivera wasted little time giving the Broncos their first lead. He stole a pass at midfield, drove to the top right corner of the box and buried his seventh game-winner of the season.
“God scored that goal for me,” said Rivera, while grasping the championship trophy. “I knew God had this planned for us. This was our season.”
"Alfredo's goal was nasty," added Klinect.
It’s the second outright state title for the Broncos. They also won it all in 2004 and split the 2001 championship with Parkview. A team from Gwinnett County has now won five of the last six boys soccer championships in the state’s largest classification.
In a battle between two defensive-minded teams, scoring opportunities were few and far between. The majority of the first half was played on Brookwood’s side of the field. Mill Creek had a few more shots on goal, but the Broncos’ defense, led by Locke, held up.
The Hawks (18-3) kept the pressure on in the second half and had all the momentum after Giles headed home a bouncing ball in the box. Giles was injured on the play, however, had to be helped off the field and did not return.
Three minutes later, Creech was lining up a penalty shot that could have iced the game. But it soared high over the crossbar.
“I’d put Jake up there every time, and he’d finish it 99 out of 100,” said Mill Creek coach Sean Garnett, who led the Hawks to their first appearance in the state finals. “That was tough.”
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