Tillinghast’s penalty-kick heroics carry Heritage back to title game
PLANTATION — Host American Heritage worked overtime and then needed 5-foot, 9-inch junior goalkeeper Reed Tillinghast to come up big in the penalty kick shootout.
The junior responded with two crucial saves in the shootout, including a diving stop to his right off a shot by Tampa Jesuit’s Connor Stuart on the attempt in the sudden victory shootout to give the defending Class 3A state champion Patriots a 1-0 (5-4 PKs) victory in the state semifinal Saturday night and send them back to the state title game.
“I am just happy to come up big and go to states again,” said Tillinghast, who also had two saves on a cross and point-blank shot with two minutes remaining in regulation to send the game to overtime. “This is incredible. I am at a loss for words. I can’t even say it. It is probably one of the best moments in my life for sure.”
The penalty kick victory was the second in as many games for the Patriots, who defeated Cape Coral Mariner, 2-1 (4-3 PKs) in the regional final. The teams had met once before in the postseason, with American Heritage winning the state semifinal 1-0 in overtime in 2012. The Patriots went on to win the state title that year.
American Heritage (16-5-1) will face Seabreeze (22-2-1) in the state final next Saturday at 7 p.m. at Spec Martin Memorial Stadium in DeLand. It will be a rematch of last year’s championship game won by American Heritage 1-0.
Broward teams went 6 for 6 in state semifinals with four girls teams and two boys teams advancing to the state championships. American Heritage will send the boys and girls teams to the state finals for the fifth time in school history, the last coming in 2005.
Fort Lauderdale’s boys, Archbishop McCarthy’s girls, and Cypress Bay’s girls are going for the first time, while Cardinal Gibbons girls are also state-bound for the first time since 2009.
Despite the Patriots entering the state semifinal as the defending state champions, Tampa Jesuit (22-3) was the favorite, having won seven straight games since a 2-1 (8-7 PKs) loss to Shorecrest Prep in the semifinals of the Champions League tournament. They also dropped a 1-0 decision to Montverde in the second game of the season. The Tigers were ranked No. 1 in the state and No. 5 nationally by MaxPreps.
American Heritage, winners of six state titles, are ranked 50th in the state and 170th nationally by MaxPreps. They had won three straight games on the road since a 2-1 loss to Pembroke Pines Charter in the district final.
“Honestly, credit to Tampa Jesuit, they are a great team, they had us the whole 90 minutes plus extra time,” Grossi said. “Sadly, for us, it’s a great win for us and for them it’s a loss in penalties.”
The Tigers had a chance to score in the 38th minute off a shot by Zachary Board, but the Patriots’ Camilo Espinosa cleared the 18-yard shot off the goal line to preserve the shutout.
With one minute remaining in the first half, the Patriots’ Nigel Muirhead was in on a breakaway and Jesuit goalkeeper Thomas Knipe came far out of his goal to disrupt the play.
American Heritage coach Todd Goodman said defending the state championship has proven to be even more difficult than winning one.
“Everyone comes at you like it is their World Cup final,” Goodman said. “The boys have learned to succeed. They have learned how to grind it out at times and they have learned to do whatever it takes to be successful and get the victory.”