Fort Mill junior Austin Lux said his confidence grew each time he saw one of his teammates bury a penalty kick in the deciding shootout in Tuesday night’s Region 3-5A match against crosstown rival Nation Ford.
Then, Lux stepped up for the Yellow Jackets with a chance to seal the win.
Just like three other Fort Mill kicks before him, Lux buried his shot past Falcons goalkeeper Evan Morris to secure a 1-1 (4-2 on penalty kicks) win in front of a raucous home crowd at Bob Jones Stadium in Fort Mill.
The emotional victory puts Fort Mill, now 11-7-1 and 7-2 in region, just one win away from a region title and a No. 1 seed in the upcoming Class 5A state tournament.
“Taking penalties is almost always the most nervous thing in soccer,” he said. “It makes me calmer to know that my teammates will make their kicks, and I don’t have to stress about it. I’m confident in my teammates and they’re confident in me.”
With a win at home against Rock Hill on 7 p.m. Thursday in the regular season finale, the Yellow Jackets will clinch the region crown.
Nation Ford’s Tyler Forbes broke the deadlock with a 57th minute strike before Jon Hansen turned in a loose ball from a free kick to equalize for Fort Mill just 11 minutes later.
Neither team could muster up a winner in either of the two five-minute extra time periods, which led to the shootout.
Braden Gritz, Ryan Seitz, and Hansen all scored for the Yellow Jackets before Lux stepped up and hit the game-winning spot-kick, setting off a wild team celebration.
Fort Mill goalkeeper Noah Churchill saved Eric Pinski’s effort for Nation Ford, while Luke Marin hit the crossbar. Forbes and Colin Evans both converted their penalty kicks in the shootout in a losing effort for the Falcons, who fell to 14-6 overall and 7-3 in the region.
Clover finished its regular season earlier this week. The final region seedings for Nation Ford and Clover will be decided after Fort Mill’s game against Rock Hill.
Fort Mill coach Mark Seren said he had full confidence in each of his kickers.
“They executed so well,” he said. “It’s a great experience and gives them great confidence.”
Both teams found decent opportunities in the first half.
Seitz headed just wide of the near post on an in-swinging cross in the eighth minute. Brayden Hunsucker found himself open from about 10 yards out two minutes later from a chipped ball through the box, but the junior scuffed his shot.
Gritz’s 15th-minute free kick from 30 yards out nearly found a deflection, but no striker was able to get to the skipping shot from close range.
Nation Ford’s Griffen Duncan had a chance to open the scoring in the 20th minute, but Churchill collected the sophomore’s half-volley.
Alec Linderberg whipped in a cross from the near cross, but his teammate’s touch at the back post was too heavy and the shot skipped past the far post.
Forbes finally broke the deadlock. Nation Ford whipped in a free kick that was deflected by the two-man wall, but the ball fell to Forbes, who made a half-turn and quick shot at goal which beat Churchill at his far post to give the Falcons a 1-0 lead.
Hansen equalized about 11 minutes later from a free kick for Fort Mill. Seitz served in a tempting ball to the back post, and Hansen knocked home a shot from close range that beat Morris.
Marin nearly rescued a win for Nation Ford when he popped off a shot from about 30 yards out, but Churchill was alert to the chance and tipped the chance just over the crossbar.
“Beating Nation Ford, that’s on top,” Lux said. “Nothing more important. Now we have Rock Hill on Thursday. They’re a solid team. We need to be ready for that. I have confidence we’ll win region and make a very good statement.”
Seren said he’s planning to be careful with load management as the postseason looms.
“We’ve got a deep squad,” he said. “They’re building momentum. It’s not how you start the season, it’s how you finish it.”
April 25 Roundup
Nation Ford
The Nation Ford tennis team won their first round playoff match at home against Byrnes 5-1. Getting wins for the Falcons were Ian Drane 6-0, 6-2; Akhil Kanthamneni 7-6 (7-4), 6-2; George Lynch 6-4, 6-1; Ziad Baki 7-5, 6-0; and Deep Patel 6-3, 6-0.
The Nation Ford golf team beat Indian Land at Lancaster Golf Course 159-171. The Falcons had Harrison Lapointe, Carter Smith and Landon Snuffer each shoot a 39. Jake Macheski shot a 42 to finish the scoring.
Fort Mill
The Fort Mill tennis team fell to Dorman in the first round of their 5A playoff match losing 4-3 on the road. Fort Mill finished their season with a 10-6 record.
The Fort Mill softball team fell 4-3 to York and dropped to 12-7 on the season.
