Benson’s OT goal lifts Raiders to 6-5 win
SOUTH PARK — Waynesburg Central sophomore Gavin Benson netted the game-winning goal at 12:54 of overtime to give the Raiders a dramatic 6-5 victory over Obama Academy last Saturday afternoon in the first round of the WPIAL Class AA boys soccer playoffs at South Park High School.
“We always stress to play within ourselves and to focus on us,” Waynesburg coach Matt Blair said. “Today, that got tested and the kids had so much fight. We believe we can score on anybody and I kind of expected a high-scoring game.”
The victory sent the Raiders (12-6-0) on to the quarterfinals for the second straight year.
Last season Waynesburg defeated Mount Pleasant in the opening round, but then fell to Shady Side Academy in the round of eight in double overtime.
Waynesburg faced Shady Side Academy again in the quarterfinals on Wednesday at Canon-McMillan High School. That game was not over in time for this edition.
Benson scored four goals in the victory over Obama to give him 25 this season.
“There was a lot of space out there today,” Benson said.
“We knew they could score, so our offense was going to be tested today. It was a total team effort. The chemistry on this team is really good and that pushed us to the win today.”
Senior Blake Brewer was also a catalyst with a goal, his 19th of the season, and three assists.
“One thing we have done all year was to stick together,” Brewer said.
“This was so back-and-forth and so much emotions today. We never backed down and we had to calm down out there. We are really happy to advance to the next round again.”
After a fast-paced and offensive-minded start to the match, the Eagles (12-5-1) grabbed a 1-0 lead after a goal by senior Ian Thomas.
Waynesburg responded 52 seconds with Benson’s first of the game, and made it 2-1 at 13:22 of the first half with a marker by freshman Dalton Woods.
Three minutes later the Eagles tied it up with a goal by Thomas and both teams were held in check to go into halftime tied, 2-2.
After the teams traded scoring chances, Obama grabbed two goals in a span of four minutes with markers by junior Reuben Swartz and senior Al Shareef.
Waynesburg regrouped and had a two-goal surge in the next five minutes with a pair of goals off Benson’s foot, the first assisted by Brewer and the second by senior Will Behm.
“Gavin and Blake were clicking for us today,” Blair said.
“Both are obviously talented players, but both are unselfish and they look for each other on the field. They gave each other some beautiful crosses and they both cashed in. Both have a nose for the ball.”
The Raiders recaptured the lead at 5-4 with a goal by Brewer that was assisted by Benson with 2:54 left in regulation.
“Gavin gave me a really good ball,” Brewer said. “I just had a nice touch to beat the defender and then the keeper was a little out of position. Once that ball went inside the corner for the goal it felt so good. I missed on some earlier chances, so it felt good to get that one.”
With 1:12 left in the second half, the Eagles showed their resolve and Thomas recorded his third goal of the game to send the thrilling game into overtime.
Benson headed the ball into the back of the net off of an assist by junior Jack Church in the extra session to secure the wild first-round victory and the school’s second-ever playoff win.
“It was a crazy sequence (on the game-winning goal),” Benson said.
“We played it from the corner and then we dropped back with the ball towards the middle. Jack (Church) gave me an awesome pass to my head and I was just lucky enough to finish it for the goal.”
Waynesburg’s junior Scott Benco made six saves in the win, while his counterpart sophomore John Sprenkel was credited with eight stops between the pipes for Obama.