The bell tolled on the Mt. Hebron boys soccer team’s Cinderella postseason run — and then it didn’t.
During the first round of the penalty shootout to conclude Saturday’s Class 3A state semifinal and with South River clinging to a 3-2 advantage, Vikings senior Dominic Broccolino had his attempt clang off the post and away from the goal, signaling a Seahawks victory. Instead, South River goalkeeper Bryan Wise was deemed to have left his line too early.
Broccoliono then buried his next attempt into the back of the net, and after a third penalty save by Vikings goalkeeper Jonathan Sanchez, including one in the second overtime, Luukas Nguyen punched in the game-winner.
After a 1-1 regulation finish, the Vikings won the shootout, 4-3, and a trip to next weekend’s 3A state final at Loyola Maryland against either Catonsville or River Hill at a day and time to be announced.
“I was pretty nervous already,” Nguyen said. “I already missed two of my PKs earlier in the playoffs. I knew this was the game for the state final, so I just tried to stay composed the whole time. I don’t let the keeper get in my head at all. I want to stay composed and make sure the shot goes in.”
The thrilling but controversial victory extended Mt. Hebron’s improbable march to the program’s sixth state final and first since capturing a state crown in 2006. The Vikings (10-7) entered the 2024 postseason at 5-7 in regional play.
“We were trying to figure out something that we’re good at doing, and we just figured out, we always have to work hard,” said Vikings coach Mike Linsenmeyer, whose squad will be looking for its fourth state championship. “And the kids do. They work hard the whole game, and it’s made a big difference for us, and we’ve had a lot of kids step up in a lot of tough situations. I’m really proud of the kids not giving up on the season.”
The first half of Saturday’s contest at Glen Burnie was mostly a defensive stalemate with the teams combining for just a couple of shots on goal. That is until Chris Belcher broke the deadlock with what appeared to be a cross to the center of the penalty area where the ball ricocheted off the leaping hands of Wise and into the goal with 17:39 left before halftime.
Inspired by that score, the Vikings largely controlled possession the rest of the half but could not breach the South River goal through a combination of a few offside penalties and a quality look by Parker Smith that sailed well over the goal.
Showing a renewed sense of urgency to start the second half, the Seahawks dominated possession for the first 18 minutes, resulting in three quality shots by Lucas Cerulla that were either saved or just off the mark until center back Tillman Johnson took a pass from Donovan Green on a corner kick and put the ball in the back of the net with 22:14 left in regulation to knot the score at 1. Johnson made a late run to the goal, and Green found him unmarked on the play.
South River continued to dominate possession and was the much more dangerous team for the rest of the half, but it could not find the back of the net largely through a concerted defensive effort in the box by the Vikings and the stingy play of Sanchez.
“They played a heck of a game. They’re just well coached, well disciplined in the back,” said South River coach Marlyn Argueta, whose squad finished 14-4-1. “It was going to be hard to break them down, and we just couldn’t do it today. I’m proud of my boys. They worked hard. Unfortunately, it has to come down to PKs and a wild call. We thought we had won there. It’s just an insane thing to call. Hats off to Mt. Hebron. It is what it is.”
Mt. Hebron’s Will Kettering fights off South River’s Donovan Green and draws a penalty. The Mt. Hebron Vikings defeated the South River Seahawks, after double overtime and penalty kicks, to win a MPSSAA Class 3A boys soccer state championship semifinal game at Glen Burnie High School. (Paul W. Gillespie/Staff)
South River’s Tillman Johnson takes a shot in the first overtime. (Paul W. Gillespie/Staff)
Mt. Hebron goalkeeper Jonathan Sanchez makes a save in the second half. The Mt. Hebron Vikings defeated the South River Seahawks, after double overtime and penalty kicks, to win a MPSSAA Class 3A boys soccer state championship semifinal game at Glen Burnie High School. (Paul W. Gillespie/Staff)
Mt. Hebron’s Saleem Mechtat goes for a headers as South River’s Jacob Sullivan follows in the second half. The Mt. Hebron Vikings defeated the South River Seahawks, after double overtime and penalty kicks, to win a MPSSAA Class 3A boys soccer state championship semifinal game at Glen Burnie High School. (Paul W. Gillespie/Staff)
South River’s Daniel Rodriquez moves the ball as Mt. Hebron’s Jadin Botticelli chases in the second half. The Mt. Hebron Vikings defeated the South River Seahawks, after double overtime and penalty kicks, to win a MPSSAA Class 3A boys soccer state championship semifinal game at Glen Burnie High School. (Paul W. Gillespie/Staff)
South River’s Lucas Cerulla takes a shot in the second half. The Mt. Hebron Vikings defeated the South River Seahawks, after double overtime and penalty kicks, to win a MPSSAA Class 3A boys soccer state championship semifinal game at Glen Burnie High School. (Paul W. Gillespie/Staff)
South River’s Jeffrey Serrano moves the ball in the first half. The Mt. Hebron Vikings defeated the South River Seahawks, after double overtime and penalty kicks, to win a MPSSAA Class 3A boys soccer state championship semifinal game at Glen Burnie High School. (Paul W. Gillespie/Staff)
Mt. Hebron’s Kellen Pumphrey gets a yellow card for a collision with South River’s Alec Ehrenfried in the second half. The Mt. Hebron Vikings defeated the South River Seahawks, after double overtime and penalty kicks, to win a MPSSAA Class 3A boys soccer state championship semifinal game at Glen Burnie High School. (Paul W. Gillespie/Staff)
Mt. Hebron goalkeeper Jonathan Sanchez dives after a ball that goes over the net in the second half. The Mt. Hebron Vikings defeated the South River Seahawks, after double overtime and penalty kicks, to win a MPSSAA Class 3A boys soccer state championship semifinal game at Glen Burnie High School. (Paul W. Gillespie/Staff)
Mt. Hebron’s Chris Belcher moves the ball in the first half. The Mt. Hebron Vikings defeated the South River Seahawks, after double overtime and penalty kicks, to win a MPSSAA Class 3A boys soccer state championship semifinal game at Glen Burnie High School. (Paul W. Gillespie/Staff)
South River’s Kasra Sedghi and Mt. Hebron’s Kellen Pumphrey fight for the ball in the first half. The Mt. Hebron Vikings defeated the South River Seahawks, after double overtime and penalty kicks, to win a MPSSAA Class 3A boys soccer state championship semifinal game at Glen Burnie High School. (Paul W. Gillespie/Staff)
South River’s Kamil Niwa and Mt. Hebron’s Fathiu Owolabi go for a header in the first half. The Mt. Hebron Vikings defeated the South River Seahawks, after double overtime and penalty kicks, to win a MPSSAA Class 3A boys soccer state championship semifinal game at Glen Burnie High School. (Paul W. Gillespie/Staff)
South River’s Jay Hughes takes a shot as Mt. Hebron’s goalkeeper Jonathan Sanchez tries to stop him in the first half. The Mt. Hebron Vikings defeated the South River Seahawks, after double overtime and penalty kicks, to win a MPSSAA Class 3A boys soccer state championship semifinal game at Glen Burnie High School. (Paul W. Gillespie/Staff)
South River’s Adam Londot uses his chest to stop the ball in the first half. The Mt. Hebron Vikings defeated the South River Seahawks, after double overtime and penalty kicks, to win a MPSSAA Class 3A boys soccer state championship semifinal game at Glen Burnie High School. (Paul W. Gillespie/Staff)
Mt. Hebron’s Kellen Pumphrey and South River’s Patrick Mitchell fight for the ball in the first half. The Mt. Hebron Vikings defeated the South River Seahawks, after double overtime and penalty kicks, to win a MPSSAA Class 3A boys soccer state championship semifinal game at Glen Burnie High School. (Paul W. Gillespie/Staff)
South River goalkeeper Bryan Wise makes a save on a ball shot by Mt. Hebron’s Parker Smith in the penalty kick overtime. The Mt. Hebron Vikings defeated the South River Seahawks, after double overtime and penalty kicks, to win a MPSSAA Class 3A boys soccer state championship semifinal game at Glen Burnie High School. (Paul W. Gillespie/Staff)
Mt. Hebron goalkeeper Jonathan Sanchez makes a stop in penalty kicks. The Mt. Hebron Vikings defeated the South River Seahawks, after double overtime and penalty kicks, to win a MPSSAA Class 3A boys soccer state championship semifinal game at Glen Burnie High School. (Paul W. Gillespie/Staff)
The Mt. Hebron Vikings defeated the South River Seahawks, after double overtime and penalty kicks, to win a MPSSAA Class 3A boys soccer state championship semifinal game at Glen Burnie High School. (Paul W. Gillespie/Staff)
Mt. Hebron celebrates winning. The Mt. Hebron Vikings defeated the South River Seahawks, after double overtime and penalty kicks, to win a MPSSAA Class 3A boys soccer state championship semifinal game at Glen Burnie High School. (Paul W. Gillespie/Staff)
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Mt. Hebron’s Will Kettering fights off South River’s Donovan Green and draws a penalty. The Mt. Hebron Vikings defeated the South River Seahawks, after double overtime and penalty kicks, to win a MPSSAA Class 3A boys soccer state championship semifinal game at Glen Burnie High School. (Paul W. Gillespie/Staff)
The Seahawks did have a chance to win in the second overtime as Jay Hughes drew a foul inside the penalty area to set up a penalty kick opportunity for Cerulla, but Sanchez made the save on the ground ball kick to his left.
“I read it. Most players, if they’re right-footed, they’re most likely going to secure the ball to the right and open up their hips, so I read it completely,” said Sanchez, who opened Mt. Hebron’s side of the penalty shootout with a successful strike.
During the shootout, South River took a 3-2 lead behind goals from Daniel Rodriguez, Lucas Gardeniers, and Kamil Niwa and a pair of saves by Wise before the miss and then make by Broccolino.
“I thought the season was over, but once I saw the [assistant referee] raise the flag, I told my teammate, ‘Head up, head up,’” Sanchez said. “’You’ve got a second chance. Make it this time.’”
