Walker’s overtime goal lifts Champion past JFK

By Jim Flick

WARREN — Marissa Walker headed home the winning goal halfway through the second overtime period Monday to give Champion a 2-1 victory over Warren John F. Kennedy in a Division II district semifinal matchup.

“I headed it in, and my stomach dropped,” Walker said. “Then we all cried. It was pretty exciting.”

Walker, a junior, headed the ball after Champion freshman Hannah Day’s shot was blocked by JFK’s goalkeeper, senior Helena Democopoulos.

The goal by Walker, the top scorer for Champion (11-3-5), ended the game at 7:29 in the second overtime.

“This was an exciting game,” Champion head coach Dan Houle said. “It was hectic. Both teams were running up and down the field.”

Houle added JFK (16-2-1) defeated Champion 4-1 in the regular season, “so we had a lot to prove.”

Thursday, Champion will play Lakeview for the district title.

Warren JFK coach Billy Roberts said his team and Champion have squared off in the playoffs almost every season in recent years. “We always have war, wars of attrition.”

In this war at Mollenkopf Stadium, the two teams battled to a stalemate in the first half, which ended in a scoreless tie.

But less than five minutes into the second half, Champion scored the game’s first goal when Day launched a long shot down the middle of the field.

Democopoulos managed to get her hands on the ball, but it squirted out of her grasp and into the net to give Champion a 1-0 lead.

Jerrica Cooper, a senior, evened the score with about 15 minutes remaining when she smashed home a goal.

After regulation time ended at 1-1, the game continued with a 15-minute overtime period.

The Eagles pressured the Golden Flashes heavily in the first OT period, but Champion goalkeeper Taylor Petersal repeatedly turned away the JFK shots, earning four saves.

Democopoulos had to make only one save in the same period.

But Champion’s offense turned up the pressure a notch in the second overtime, forcing Democopoulos to make two saves before Walker scored.

JFK’s offense was active throughout the game, forcing Petersal to make a dozen saves to keep Champion in the game.

On the other side of the field, Democopoulos was credited with six saves.

The game was Champion’s second overtime game in less than a week. Last Thursday, the Golden Flashes defeated Ursuline 3-2 in overtime.