Memory of own goal drives DeSales senior

Every time Zack Garrett thought about ditching soccer practice, he kept thinking about the goal he scored last season.

With seven minutes remaining in double overtime of last year's Division II state semifinal, a Kettering Alter throw-in deflected off the head of Garrett and into the Stallions' net for a gut-wrenching own goal in a 2-1 loss.

It was the Stallions' lone defeat of the season and ended their bid for a third straight state title. It was also a massive burden Garrett would carry with him the entirety of this season.

“I've been thinking about that game for the past year, everyone knows it,” Garrett said. “Knowing how our senior season ended, that they couldn't do anything about it, it was tough on me.”

Redemption was the only cure, and Garrett seized the moment. At the 27-minute mark of Wednesday's state semifinal, a rematch against Alter, the senior gave the Stallions a 1-0 lead — on a header — as part of a 2-0 victory. It erased a year of whatifs and helped send his team into the final against Bay Village Bay at 1 p.m. Saturday at Mapfre Stadium.

“There's no way you could script this any better. To score 1-0? I freaking cried,” DeSales coach Domenic Romanelli said. “This kid has been in the dumps for 12 months. … Anyone could have scored (Wednesday) night — I'm so proud of him.”

The Stallions (21-0-1) aim to finish what they nearly did a year ago against Bay, which has lost all three times it has faced DeSales in the final (2009, 2014 and 2015). But the Rockets (16-4-1) have run off 16 straight victories, and Romanelli knows that, like Garrett, Bay will be seeking redemption.

“Emotionally, they're going to come out hard and there's going to be a time when we won't be able to control them. We just have to get through the first 10-15 minutes and sit and defend,” he said.

DeSales offensive leader Hector Gomez (25 goals, 16 assists) is nursing a sprained ankle and has been used sparingly the last three games, but is expected to play. His brother, Christian Gomez (17-11), Nick Fuchs (11 goals), Jack Francisco (9-6) and Garrett (5-9) have picked up the scoring pace in Hector Gomez's absence.

But Garrett now knows, perhaps better than anyone, that a player, goal or game will not affect how he and the Stallions approach this game or beyond.

“One game isn't going to define you. You just do everything you can to make the next season the best it can be,” he said.

— Domenic Romanelli, DeSales coach