Loudoun Boys' Soccer Teams Advance

Broad Run Squeaks Past, Potomac Falls Cruises

By Paul Tenorio

Monday, May 25, 2009

Broad Run Coach Jon Hicks jumped in the air in unison with Spartans goalkeeper Paul Hegedus as the sophomore snagged a corner kick out of the air just as a Sherando player arrived late in the Virginia AA Region II quarterfinal game on Monday evening.

Hicks turned and let out a deep breath, his hand on his head, and looked back toward the field. Hegedus's save, coming off the heels of another tremendous stop, had kept Broad Run in front with time ticking down.

Sixteen minutes later when the clock expired, Hicks and the rest of his team could exhale again as they advanced to the semifinals with a rainy 1-0 victory over Sherando in Ashburn.

"I'm really proud of our team to grind out a win like this against a good opponent," said junior Danny Reategui, who scored the winner. "They're big, they work hard, they have heart, they didn’t want to lose out here. It's good for our team to hold on to the win."

Reategui's 47th minute goal caromed off the near post, across the face of the goal and off the far post, and provided a swing in momentum after Sherando had nearly taken the lead not two minutes prior.

After sophomore midfielder David Ellsworth had cleared a shot off the goal line in the 45 th minute, Reategui got the ball soon after on the right sideline.

The midfielder split two defenders and with one man to beat in the box, cut sharply left, then cut right in a tight space to beat his defender and crashed his shot off the near post. The crowd groaned immediately, but the ball smacked off the far post and into the net and the disappointment evaporated into celebration.

"Danny just took those two kids on in the box and scored that goal all by himself," Hicks said.

Broad Run found energy after the goal but was unable to capitalize and increase its lead despite several decent attacks.

And Hegedus bailed the Spartans out with 16 minutes to go when he slid and got his hands up to knock out an offering from Sherando forward Matthew Brady.

"From that close its just a reaction save," Hegedus said. "A lot of it is technique, but most of it is just reaction. When they get inside the 18[-yard box], you've just got to be able to react to the shot."

Seconds later, he snagged the ensuing corner off the head of a charging Warrior player.

With the win, Broad Run advances to face Fluvanna at 6 p.m. on Wednesday in a semifinal.

Dulles District rival Potomac Falls, which advanced with a 7-0 win over Orange County, will face No. 9 Brentsville in the other semifinal. The Panthers have won eight straight but will take on a Tigers team that has lost just once all season. Meantime, the Heritage girls' soccer team advanced to the semifinals of its Region II tournament with a 1-0 victory over Fluvanna. The Pride plays at Brentsville on Wednesday, while Broad Run will host the other semifinal, against the Sherando-Charlottesville winner.

Tagged: Broad Run High School, Heritage High School, high school sports, Potomac Falls High School

Your Thoughts...

Are you happy that the school year is over?