Three close games and one not so close. That’s the storyline for the South Carolina High School League boys state championship games in 2013.
Irmo had to go to penalty kicks to win the Class 4-A state title. Hilton Head Island won the 3-A championship with a 1-0 decision, and Bishop England won its 16th state boys soccer title in overtime for the 2-A crown.
The blowout was in the boys 1-A final where St. Joseph’s ripped Blackville-Hilda 12-0.
Boys 3-A Final
Hilton Head Island HS won its first boys state soccer championship on a 76th minute penalty kick to beat Eastside HS (21-2-1) for the 3-A title.
Senior midfielder Chris MacMurray, who is headed to Georgia Southern in the fall, slotted in the winning goal for the program’s first title in the 30-year history of the program.
MacMurray got his chance after Eastside was whistled for a hand ball in the box with seven minutes left in regulation.
Hilton Head finished the season with a 22-4 mark after finishing second a year ago after losing in the final to Fort Mill.
Boys 2-A Final
Joel Bunting, a freshman who had scored Bishop England’s first goal, scored his second with 19 seconds left in the second overtime period to snap a 3-3 tie and give the Bishops the state championship with a 4-3 win over Indian Land.
Indian Land opened with a 2-0 lead just two minutes into the game on goals by Nick Retter and Garrett Gardes. Butting’s goal in the 13th minute pulled one back.
Bishop captain Mateo Gomez scored two goals in a 94-second span to give his team a 3-2 lead in the 24th minute. A minute later Indian Land tied the game on a goal by Anthony Cutrone making the score 3-3 at halftime.
Six goals total, but none the rest of the way……until Bunting’s game-winner 19 seconds before a shootout.
It was the second straight extra time game for Bishop, which survived a penalty kick shootout in the semifinals against Academic Magnet.
Indian Land finished the year 19-5-0, while Bishop was 17-7-1.
Boys 1-A Final
For a half it was close and then the wheels came off for Blackville-Hilda. St. Joseph’s Catholic School led the 1-A title match 2-0 at halftime, but exploded for 10 more in the second half.
The 12-0 win marked the second consecutive state title for St. Joseph’s (18-3-0). Pietro Bottari scored four goals in the final.
Irmo had to go to penalty kicks to win the Class 4-A state title. Hilton Head Island won the 3-A championship with a 1-0 decision, and Bishop England won its 16th state boys soccer title in overtime for the 2-A crown.
The blowout was in the boys 1-A final where St. Joseph’s ripped Blackville-Hilda 12-0.
Boys 3-A Final
Hilton Head Island HS won its first boys state soccer championship on a 76th minute penalty kick to beat Eastside HS (21-2-1) for the 3-A title.
Senior midfielder Chris MacMurray, who is headed to Georgia Southern in the fall, slotted in the winning goal for the program’s first title in the 30-year history of the program.
MacMurray got his chance after Eastside was whistled for a hand ball in the box with seven minutes left in regulation.
Hilton Head finished the season with a 22-4 mark after finishing second a year ago after losing in the final to Fort Mill.
Boys 2-A Final
Joel Bunting, a freshman who had scored Bishop England’s first goal, scored his second with 19 seconds left in the second overtime period to snap a 3-3 tie and give the Bishops the state championship with a 4-3 win over Indian Land.
Indian Land opened with a 2-0 lead just two minutes into the game on goals by Nick Retter and Garrett Gardes. Butting’s goal in the 13th minute pulled one back.
Bishop captain Mateo Gomez scored two goals in a 94-second span to give his team a 3-2 lead in the 24th minute. A minute later Indian Land tied the game on a goal by Anthony Cutrone making the score 3-3 at halftime.
Six goals total, but none the rest of the way……until Bunting’s game-winner 19 seconds before a shootout.
It was the second straight extra time game for Bishop, which survived a penalty kick shootout in the semifinals against Academic Magnet.
Indian Land finished the year 19-5-0, while Bishop was 17-7-1.
Boys 1-A Final
For a half it was close and then the wheels came off for Blackville-Hilda. St. Joseph’s Catholic School led the 1-A title match 2-0 at halftime, but exploded for 10 more in the second half.
The 12-0 win marked the second consecutive state title for St. Joseph’s (18-3-0). Pietro Bottari scored four goals in the final.