Late Goal Breaks Spartans' Title Dreams

Greater Atlanta Christian boys' soccer was denied a state soccer title, as Jack Kidd struck a late winner to give Westminster a 2-1 victory on a heartbreaking Saturday night for the host Spartans in the Class AA final.

A three-goal second half came to life when Daniel Clarke scored a fine strike, making up for an earlier penalty miss. But the Wildcats equalized through a Tyler Milliard spot kick before Kidd’s cushioned header sent the traveling support delirious.

“We just didn’t put enough away,” said GAC coach Thom Jacquet. “We can’t fault the effort. Right now, it’s disappointing for everybody. We wanted to win and thought we could.”

A penalty after just 26 seconds should have given the Spartans a dream start after the referee spotted a hand ball inside the penalty area. However, goalkeeper Andrew Freschi saved the day, diving low to his left to palm away Denzel Clark’s effort.

The visitors came close to taking the lead five minutes later, as Tyler Milliard sent a header from a corner narrowly over the crossbar.

Westminster, having survived early pressure, had the ball in the net after 30 minutes. A long free kick into the penalty area was scrambled across the goal line by Harrison Butker, but he was flagged for offside. The final chance in an evenly matched first half fell to Spartan Matt Carothers, whose close-range shot ricocheted off a defender and out for a corner.

A second-half peppered with stoppages, owing to over officiating by the referee, started well for GAC, which took a 52nd minute lead thanks to a brilliant solo effort by Clark. Seizing a loose ball near the bi-line, the forward drifted past a defender and rifled in a tight-angled shot into the top corner.

However, Westminster didn’t have to wait long for an equalizer, arriving via the penalty spot.  Robby Greenfield was bundled down in the box, and Tyler Milliard stepped up to convert the kick.

Play went from end, with both sides pressing for a winner. And it was Kidd who answered the call for the Wildcats. A looping assist found Kidd in an unmarked position, and with enough time for two headers. The first brought the ball under control. The second left the goalkeeper with no chance.

The Spartans dominated the final five minutes in search of an equalizer, but Westminster survived a slew of corners to clinch the title.

“I thought we played well, we had chances, but just left it open at the back at the end,” said Jacquet. “The kid scoring five minutes from the end made it kind of hard.”