29 goals for Corder prove decisive as De La Salle beats U-D Jesuit 2-1 in double OT

Warren De La Salle forward Andrew Corder scored the winning goal with 8:32 remaining in the second overtime period to defeat U-D Jesuit 2-1 on Tuesday night. The goal ended a game that remained scoreless for most of the second half and two full periods of extra time. The result advances the Pilots to the Division 2 regional championship game.

Coach Thaier Mukhtar approached Corder before the second overtime to ask for one final burst of effort. The senior forward responded by beating the first defender on a breakaway and firing the ball past U-D Jesuit goalkeeper Owen Bishop. Corder finished the season with 29 goals, a number that underscores his role in the team's 18-3-4 record.

“I told him, ‘I know you’re tired but can you find that little bit of energy, that little bit of energy and be that playmaker that makes a difference,’” Mukhtar said. “He found it.” Corder described the moment as a physical release after a grueling contest. “I was exhausted,” he said. “I don’t know. It just kicked in. I beat the first guy so I knew I was going. I saw the hole, I took the shot, scored and celebrated. That’s what I do.”

The match was tightly contested from the start. U-D Jesuit took the lead in the first half when Vasco Marra scored with 4:30 remaining. Warren De La Salle equalized later in that half as defender Rivard Nilaj put the ball in the net with 4:30 left in the period. Both teams created scoring opportunities in the second half and the first overtime, but goalkeepers Dominic Baldarotta and Bishop kept the score at 1-1 until the final minutes.

De La Salle played the last 6 minutes and 18 seconds of the second overtime with only ten players on the field. Settimo Leone received his second yellow card of the game, leaving the Pilots short-staffed for the final stretch. Mukhtar credited his defensive line for maintaining intensity despite the numerical disadvantage. “I give a lot of credit to my defense,” he said. “Tanner (Mahaffey) was awesome, so was Kayden (Risch) and Rivald. They were solid even with a man down. It seemed like with a man down they picked it up even more. The energy level was higher.”

This marked the third meeting between these two rivals in two years. De La Salle has won the previous two playoff encounters against U-D Jesuit. U-D Jesuit finished the season with a 13-5-5 record, while the Pilots hold the 18-3-4 mark. Coach Aaron Pfeil of the Cubs noted the difficulty of facing a familiar opponent in the postseason. “Unfortunately, we had to meet this early in the playoffs,” Pfeil said. “It’s hard to be successful against a team three times. We know each other so well. It came down to who made the least amount of mistakes and we made a mistake at the end.”

De La Salle will play Dearborn Divine Child for the regional title at 6 p.m. Thursday. Divine Child defeated New Boston Huron 2-1 in overtime in the other semifinal match. The Pilots have a history of prevailing in high-pressure situations against U-D Jesuit, having won the regular season matchups as well as the previous two playoff series. Mukhtar described the rivalry as a strategic battle between two elite squads. “It’s a well-coached team,” he said. “They’re very hard to play against. They’ve got Vasco (Marra) a superstar up top and a superstar (Bishop) in the net. We have Corder and Dominic (Baldarotta). It’s like a chess piece going back and forth.”

Corder’s performance solidifies his status as a leading candidate for Mr. Soccer honors. Mukhtar emphasized that the goal against U-D Jesuit was the most important of the season. “That’s what great players do,” the coach said. “That’s why he’s a Mr. Soccer candidate. He has 29 goals and none are any bigger than this one.”