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Summit soccer advances to the semifinals after defeating Northridge in overtime thriller

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Cody Jones
  

Summit High School's Evan Reil controls the ball during the Tigers' senior night match at Climax Molybdenum Field at Tiger Stadium on Oct. 20, 2022, in Breckenridge. The Tigers recently advanced to the semifinals of the 4A state playoffs after defeating Northridge High School in overtime, 3-2.
Joel Wexler/For the Summit Daily News

Editor’s note: This story has been updated with the name of the student who scored the game-winning goal for the Tigers, as well as the results from the game between Niwot High School and Northfield High School.

For the first time in close to 30 years, the Summit boys soccer team is advancing to the semifinals of the 4A state soccer playoffs. 

After upsetting Cheyenne Mountain High School in Colorado Springs on Wednesday night, Summit kept its hopes for a state championship alive by defeating Northridge High School 3-2 in overtime on Saturday, Nov. 5 in Breckenridge.

Summit found itself up 1-0 at halftime but Northridge refused to go down without a fight. 

Seeded No. 22 in the 4A state playoffs, Northridge upset No. 6 Silver Creek on Wednesday night, proving the team is capable of beating a higher-ranked opponent.

In the second half, junior goaltender Abdoul Kane let a ball slip past him to tie the game at 1-1. 

With the game tied, the game grew tense with both teams battling to advance to the final four. 

Senior Fabian Cuevas made the score 2-1 after clipping a goal into the back of the net. Summit did not get to celebrate for long as Northridge evened the score to minutes later, tying up the score, 2-2, and forcing the game to go to overtime. 

Northridge had a few good opportunities early in overtime, but Summit weathered the blows to produce offensive opportunities of its own.

In the end, it was junior Alexander Elsig who buried the game-winner after receiving a pass off of a dead ball free kick. 

“The boys honored the day with our play,” Summit head coach Jotwan Daniels said. “We played with no fear. We played with tremendous belief and poise. We did what we have been doing all season, finding a way.”

Summit now advances to the semifinals of the 4A state soccer playoffs which will take place on Wednesday at the University of Northern Colorado. Summit will face No. 2 seed Northfield High School, after their 2-0 defeat of Niwot on Saturday.

“Everybody is quality at this point,” Daniels said. “I have been telling my boys every step of the playoffs that someone has got to win it, so why not us?”

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