Zach Mowatt started entertaining the idea on Thursday and prepared for the situation regardless of how unlikely it seemed.
What if Mount St. Michael’s first-year senior would have to step up and take a decisive penalty kick against the defending CHSAA Class B intersectional champions in the CHSAA Class B intersectional quarterfinals?
“I worked on it, came in a little earlier before we left,” he said.
Sure enough, Mowatt stepped to the spot as the Mountaineers fifth and final shooter in the second round of penalty shots Friday afternoon. As he did in practice, Mowatt buried it and set off a wild and lengthy celebration as Mount shocked top-seeded Monsignor McClancy, advancing to the Class B semifinals for the first time since winning the ‘B’ title in 1997.
“It was amazing,” Mowatt said. “I helped our team get to the next round and it feels unbelievable.”
The game ended in a 1-1 draw and fourth-seeded Mount prevailed, 7-6, on penalties in East Elmhurst, Queens. The Mountaineers will face Bronx rival Cardinal Spellman next week. The winner advances to the Class B title game at Belson Stadium on Nov. 14.
“To me, it’s like a Miracle on Ice win,” Mount coach Mike Boyle said. “It’s like the U.S. beating the Russians beating the city champs here.”
McClancy (8-2-2), ranked No. 8 in the CHSAA by The Post, thrashed Mount St. Michael in its last two meetings – 5-1 in the quarterfinals a year ago and 7-0 in the preseason. But goalkeeper Colm Burke had a feeling things would be different this time.
“We’ve heard from players from every team and they all said we were going to get slaughtered,” Burke said. “We said no we’re not. We lost to McClancy in this same exact round last year and we said this is not happening again.”
Burke backed up those words with a spectacular performance during the shootout, making four saves and scoring one goal.
“I think he’s lived his whole life for this moment,” Boyle said. “He loves soccer, watches it constantly. This is his moment. It was Colm’s day.”
Burke’s first save was his biggest as he dived to his right to stop Peter Scimemi’s attempt. Scimemi, the senior midfielder, was held in check by Mount’s stout defense, which surrounded him every time he touched the ball.
“If I did not save within the first three shots, I don’t think I would have saved because my confidence would have just sunk,” Burke said.
Mount (8-2-5) thought it had the game won at the end of the first round of penalties when Fabian Leon, who scored twice in a 2-0 win against St. John’s Prep in the previous round, put the ball past McClancy goalkeeper Chris Tavantzis and he was mobbed by his teammates on the field.
But referee Jimmy Memos correctly ruled that Leon hesitated before taking his shot and the Mount junior forward retook his chance. This time, Tavantzis came up big with one of his two saves during the shootout, forcing a second round.
Cornelius Krapah, who scored Mount’s goal during regulation on a first-time volley in the 18th minute before Matt Scimemi equalized two minutes later, put the Mountaineers in front, 6-5, on the Mountaineers ninth PK. The two goalkeepers exchanged huge saves before McClancy’s Michael Ferrara leveled the score on the Crusaders final shot of the second round.
Moments later, though, Mowatt buried his shot to cap a stunning upset.
“When I saw him score the goal…the feeling I had inside was incredible,” Burke said. “I just dropped to the ground and thanked God.”
The McClancy players, on the other hand, were inconsolable on the field, many immediately bursting into tears. It’s the second time in three years the Crusaders season ended in a penalty-kick shootout.
“It’s unlucky, you know,” McClancy coach Mike Sylvester said. “That’s how it is.”