Signal Mountain defender Jonathan Miller (7) goes up against Arts & Sciences' Avery Hardekopf (3) in the Region 3-A title game Thursday night.A lucky break made a major difference for the Signal Mountain boys' soccer team Thursday night as the red-hot program beat Arts & Sciences 4-3 in overtime, with the Eagles' 11th straight win securing a second straight Region 3-A championship.
A missed touch on a free kick in the 99th minute sent the ball rolling right to the feet of Signal Mountain's Clay Gallant, who was fouled in the box near the end of the second 10-minute extra period. Gallant jumped to his feet and raced to senior George Coogan for a full embrace of the soon-to-be-hero.
Coogan then stepped up for a penalty kick, something he has practiced more than 1,000 times just this season, and fired in the winner for the Eagles (13-3).
"George practices PKs all the time, so we all had no doubt," Signal Mountain coach Richard Northcutt said. "George's presence has helped us a lot this year. He had always played forward for us in the past, but on senior night we stuck him at striker and it has really worked."
Coogan also sent a missile into the upper left part of the net in the 26th minute for a 3-1 lead.
"This has been an awesome season," said Coogan, who has 17 goals this year. "We play with more heart than anybody. Being the leader of this team is an honor because I have the best teammates.
"It's crazy we have beaten CSAS all three times this year. I wouldn't mind playing them again, but I wouldn't hope for it."
The Patriots (11-5-4) did not cower after allowing three consecutive goals in a 14-minute span. Before Coogan's first goal, the Eagles got rapid-fire scores from Jack Poss and Aaron Easterly in the 12th and 13th minutes, respectively.
Avery Hardekopf stuck with his deflected penalty kick in the 36th minute to cut the deficit to one for CSAS. The Patriots' Ben Harrison had scored the game's first goal off a corner kick in the seventh minute.
A beautiful set piece from near midfield in the 55th minute was headed to the right post, where Nicholas Webber crashed in for the game-tying score.
"We needed some grit from our team, and we got it," Patriots coach David Poss said. "We had guys out there playing a little hurt, giving it their all. This has been a good rivalry, but I hope we don't meet Signal again until the state finals."
In what has been a fierce rivalry over the past two years, Signal Mountain had the advantage of fresh legs. The Eagles used five-man substitutions frequently late in the first half and throughout the second.
The penalty in the 99th minute also resulted in a second yellow card for a Patriot, forcing CSAS to have only 10 players on the field the rest of the way.
"We are very deep and play a lot of people," Northcutt said. "We also kept our composure tonight. It helps when the other team is down a man late and you have guys out there who have just played 25 to 30 minutes against guys on the other side who have played 100."
Signal Mountain center back Luke Whitney was one of many on the back line to clear the ball out, which included a gutsy header on a strong shot in the second half.
Signal Mountain will host Watertown in a sectional Saturday with a spot in next week's Class A state tournament on the line and Coogan hopes the Eagles advance as they work to improve on last year's runner-up finish at state.
"We have lots of gas left in the tank and feel like we can win it all," Coogan said. "Sometime the ball has to roll your way, and it did tonight."
CSAS will visit Merrol Hyde in another sectional Saturday.
Contact Patrick MacCoon at pmaccoon@timesfreepress.com. Follow him on Twitter @PMacCoon.