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By Kai Raymer (For OzarksSportsZone.com)
In about three minutes, the most frustrating game of AJ Black’s young career turned into the most exciting.
Black notched the game-tying goal and golden goal to help Glendale defeat Kickapoo 4-3 on Thursday night in the annual Southside Showdown.
The goals capped a wild finish that saw Glendale score three times in three minutes. Glendale trailed 3-1 with about 2:30 left in regulation.
“I’ve never felt more happy in my entire life,” said Black after the game, with a huge smile on her face. “I definitely needed that after my PK miss earlier. I’m happy to help the team out.”
The outcome gives Glendale its first win over Kickapoo since a 1-0 result in 2015.
“Tonight, it was about, ‘Do you want to beat Kickapoo?’” said Glendale coach Jeff Rogers. “That was my challenge to the team. To be able to do it at home, we love it any time we can get a crowd to come out and watch the girls play. This was special.”
Kickapoo had won five straight over Glendale in the Southside Showdown series, including 4-1 last year.
“It’s been on our minds for a very long time,” said Glendale senior and co-captain Halle Eise, who led the postgame victory celebration with players and classmates at mid-field. “All season long, we always think about this game – the Southside Showdown – and how important it is to us. We wanted to make the most of this game for our coaches and our seniors.
“We came together and got this win for our family, school and program.”
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Black, a sophomore playing in her first Glendale-Kickapoo game, experienced the full gauntlet of soccer emotions in Thursday’s match.
She missed a PK in the first half that would have put Glendale ahead 1-0. Two minutes later, Kickapoo scored.
Later in the first half, her frustration boiled over and she drew a yellow card, which sent her off the field briefly.
Black, who finished with two goals and one assist, admitted she’s often her harshest critic.
“My dad’s been teaching me a lot about being mentally strong, so I finally took his advice and it worked,” Black said. “I don’t get (mad) at others, just to myself I guess.
“I knew I had to get my head back into the game. I had to finish it out.”
Late in the match, Black turned from scapegoat to hero.
Her direct kick in the 78th minute led to a Reilly Heman goal.
In the final seconds of regulation, Black capitalized on a rebound to net the equalizer.
“We just saw that slight chance to get there and took it,” Eise said. “We had nothing to risk any more. We had to put everything out we could.”
On a similar play in the opening minute of overtime, Black scored the game-winner after a chaotic scramble near the right post.
“Tonight, we learned how to come back,” Rogers said. “Hopefully in postseason, we won’t need to do this.”
The match looked bleak for Glendale midway through the second half.
Kickapoo (13-5 overall) went up 3-1 on goals from Abby Bilbao (61’) and Taylor Akers (66’).
No sweat – Glendale has had its share of late-game deficits and rallies this season.
“We lost a game with 10 seconds left,” Rogers said. “We came back in the Kickapoo Shootout with 17 seconds left. You have to stay on the ride until the end and they did that tonight.”
Pulling it off in overtime was a much-needed change for the Lady Falcons. Glendale is 12-3 overall this season, but all three losses have come in overtime.
“We’ve had a lot of games that have come down to the last second,” Eise said. “So this was our time to finally flip the story and finish it ourselves.”
How much did Thursday’s match mean to some Glendale players?
Rogers noted that Glendale senior Annabel Stenger decided to play rather than attend the Recognition of Scholastic Excellence (ROSE) banquet, which honors the top academic seniors in Springfield Public Schools.
“She missed the banquet tonight because she wasn’t going to miss this game,” Rogers said. “They put a lot of pride into wanting to beat Kickapoo and it showed tonight.”
Kickapoo hosts Springfield Catholic this Saturday, with the varsity match scheduled for 10:30 a.m.
Glendale begins a five-game road swing this Monday at West Plains.
Glendale 4, Kickapoo 3 (OT)
Kickapoo 1 2 0 — 3
Glendale 1 2 1 — 4
First half
Kickapoo (25’) – Sabrina Jones
Glendale (33’) – Avery Givens
Second half
Kickapoo (61’) – Abby Bilbao
Kickapoo (66’) – Taylor Akers
Glendale (78’) – Reilly Heman (AJ Black assist)
Glendale (80’) – Black
Overtime
Glendale (81’) – Black
