Sal Pipia probably couldn’t have scripted it any better.
The Monsignor McClancy senior captain thought that his season – his career – was over last month when he dislocated his shoulder in a game against Cardinal Hayes. Doctors initially told him that he’d be sidelined for three months.
But there Pipia was, doing his best Willis Reed impression, on Tuesday afternoon.
Just hours after being cleared by a different doctor, Pipia scored the golden goal with five minutes left in the second overtime on a free kick in McClancy’s dramatic, 2-1 win over St. Edmund Prep in the CHSAA Class A boys soccer quarterfinals in East Elmhurst.
“It was unreal,” Crusaders coach Mike Sylvester said. “It was perfect. I was so happy for him.”
Pipia said all he could think about was last year’s quarterfinals when McClancy lost to Mount St. Michael in penalty kicks. Feeling 100 percent and not bothered at all by his shoulder, he was determined not to let it get it to that point again.
“That game last year was playing in my mind,” Pipia said. “I didn’t want to go into the same situation as last year.”
He put his team in the clear. McClancy (12-2-2) will now meet St. Joseph by the Sea in the semifinals 3 p.m. Thursday at home. With Pipia in the lineup, they played to a scoreless draw. Without him, McClancy lost to Sea, 2-1.
The Crusaders won’t have to worry about that anymore. Pipia is back and healthy. Sylvester put him up top Tuesday instead of his typical midfield position in order to somewhat keep him out of harms way.
“Without him, it’s a totally different team,” the coach said. “It’s uplifting. He’s dangerous.”
Matthew Scimemi had the game’s first goal on an assist by Michael Ferrara. Those two stepped up when McClancy was ravaged by injuries this season. The other senior captain, George Alissandratos, injured his ankle in the same game Pipia dislocated his shoulder and he, too, missed time.
“Since the first game of the season, we didn’t have our whole team intact until 20 minutes before the game today,” Sylvester said.
At full strength, McClancy, which was the only team all year to beat favorite Mount St. Michael the first week of the season, looks to be a handful for anyone.
“I can’t wait for that game Thursday,” Pipia said. “I think we can win it all now, especially now that we’re fully healthy.”