Boys soccer: Highland loses heartbreaker to Revere

GRANGER TWP. — The Highland boys soccer team gave a gutsy effort for 80 minutes Tuesday night but ultimately saw its chances of winning its first league championship since 2010 take a significant hit. The Hornets battled 2023 Division II state finalist Revere even until Joe Brown scored with 59 seconds left to give the Minutemen a 4-3 Suburban League American Conference victory. "I'm disappointed because honestly I thought we had really good chances," Highland midfielder Evangelos Verginis said. "Their keeper made a couple good saves, and we missed a couple opportunities that we should have scored on." The loss extended Highland's losing streak against the perennial state power to 14 games. The last time the Hornets topped Revere was 4-1 on Sept. 21, 2010. The game was a back-and-forth battle befitting highly-touted D-III teams that have a chance of seeing each other again in the postseason. Revere (10-2-1, 5-0) entered the game ranked first in the district by the Greater Akron Scholastic Soccer Coaches Association and third in the state in D-III by MaxPreps. The Hornets (8-1-2, 3-1-1) were second in the GASSCA and 11th in D-III. "To be honest, I'm proud of us," Highland midfielder Max Gargano said. "We always go into the game against Revere the underdog no matter how we're doing on the season. We left it all out on this field except for a few mental errors." Both teams have two SL American games left, with Highland needing the Minutemen to lose at least one and tie the other to have a chance at sharing the league title. The Hornets also must win twice. Prior to the game-deciding goal, Highland never led but always had an answer to Revere's attack. In the second half, the Minutemen started with a dangerous threat in the opening moments that Highland turned away. The Hornets then had a quality chance with a loose ball in front of the Revere goal, but no one got a good look and the Minutemen countered less than 30 seconds later with a score by A.J. Catlett. "What killed us was that after we had a good chance the defense lost a little bit of focus and they scored right after," Verginis said. "Both their third and fourth goals came on counters that they scored on us." Verginis knotted the game with 16:34 left with a goal off a loose ball on the second of back-to-back corner kicks by Jonah Kowza. The Minutemen got out to a 2-0 lead in the first half on a pair of free kicks. First, Joe Brown set up for a free kick after a fouled called on the Hornets just above the box that he slotted to the low right corner, past starting goalie Joshua Gaydos with 15:25 left in the first half. Gaydos made one save in the first half before giving way to Jack Petersen in the second half. Brown then set up for a free kick from the right of the box after another foul and found Sal Bonacuse for the 2-0 lead with 9:03 left in the first half. Highland didn't stay down long, though. Brandon Kramer started the comeback with a header off a free kick by Landon Kuzma with 9:03 left in the half. Gargano then tied the game when he got a loose ball in front and banged the ball past Revere goalie Jake Nations with 41 seconds left in the first half. Verginis tied the game at 3 in the second half before the Minutemen capped the scoring. "None of our top six or seven guys up top ever dropped their heads when they got a goal," Gargano said. "We were always looking for the next opportunity and played it like we were tied the entire game." Contact John Urchek at jurchek@medina-gazette.com. Revere 4, Highland 3 REVERE 2 2 — 4 HIGHLAND 2 1 — 3 First R — Joe Brown, 15:25. R — Sal Bonacuse (Brown), 9:03. H — Brandon Kramer (Landon Kuzma), 5:12. H — Max Gargano, 0:41. Second R — A.J. Catlett, 25:01. H — Evangelos Verginis, 16:34. R — Brown, 0:59. Shots on goal — Revere 6, Highland 5. Corner kicks — Revere 5, Highland 6. Saves — Jake Nations (R) 2, Joshua Gaydos (H) 1, Jack Petersen (H) 1. Records — Revere (10-2-1, 5-0), Highland (8-1-2, 3-1-1). Junior varsity — Revere 1, Highland 0.