Gallery by Tina Laney
Beckley senior forward Michael Fayiah had made the pass hundreds of times over his career. Enough to where he could do it in his sleep.
None of them, however, were more important than the through ball he hit in the second overtime period of the Class AAA boys soccer state tournament semifinal Thursday afternoon at Paul Cline Stadium.
Taking a pass from fellow senior A.J. Bishop, Fayiah slid the ball between the Wheeling Park defenders, back to Bishop who scored the golden goal in a 3-2 win for the Flying Eagles.
The win sends Beckley to the AAA boys Class AAA state title match where it will play Hurricane Saturday morning at 10:30 a.m.
“It is insane. I am still processing it,” Bishop said about the grueling match. “That was a great game of soccer and probably the best game we have played so far.”
Prior to the game-winner, Bishop had won the ball from three Patriots defenders and instincts kicked in for the senior duo.
“The ball came to me and I was trying to beat a man, but it was kind of iffy,” Bishop explained. “I toe-poked it to Michael. He could have cut it and had a shot, but he played me through. He saw that run. We have been playing together for years and we have that chemistry. I couldn’t shoot it near post or far post because when I looked up (the keeper) was spread out. I just shot it and it went in.”
Taking the shot never crossed Fayiah’s mind. Setting Bishop up for the game winning attempt was the priority.
“Every time I am on that wing I am looking for that ball. I am looking for that extra run,” Fayiah said. “We practice that every day. I have been playing for a couple of years and a play like that is just in the back of your mind. It just happens. It was one touch right through and A.J. had the excellent finish. It’s a hard finish to save.”
The game-winner capped a wild back and forth battle between two of the top three boys teams in the Mountain State.
Beckley had jumped out to a two goal lead thanks to a pair of goals from Coby Dillon. The junior forward gave Beckley a 1-0 lead at the break before cashing on a penalty kick in the second half.
“We always want a first half goal and more importantly the first goal,” Dillon said. “They turned it over and I played it to (Tyler) Snyder. Snyder was able to hit it back to me. I think it took a deflection, so it started bouncing and it went to my left foot. I let it settle and hit it on half volley to the bottom left corner.”
The PK try that doubled the advantage was eerily similar to the one Dillon hit against the Patriots in the final match of the regular season on the same field.
“In the regular season we had a guy get fouled against Wheeling as well,” Dillon recalled. “I hit a penalty against the same goalie. The last time I went left and on this kick I saw him shading that way. I hit it right this time and got in there.”
Beckley seemed in complete control of the match before being carded for having an extra player on the field.
“That was my fault. I didn’t get it all to everybody. I made the mistake,” Beckley head coach Steve Laraba said. “We weren’t organized and they got the goal off of it. I will take that one.”
With the Flying Eagles a bit unsettled, Park launched a direct kick in front of the goal where senior Tresz McLeod was waiting. The defending Boy’s Soccer Player of the Year made good on the try, cutting the lead in half.
Other than the one goal, however, Beckley did a solid job slowing down the speedy McLeod.
“Their defenders are really good. We knew it was going to be a tough battle for Tresz. He is such a great player. Every team schemes him and there was no difference in this game,” Wheeling Park head coach Mario Julian said. “He was able to get lose and get us a goal to get the come back started. We just fell short. I feel for my kids because I know how hard they worked this season.”
With the Flying Eagles trying desperately to hang on down the stretch, sophomore Graham Loy tied the match with three minutes to play.
“I think we had some heavy legs there for just a little bit. They didn’t have any shots on goal until the very first goal they scored,” Laraba said. “I think the energy and atmosphere of the game had them a little amped early. Maybe that is why the tanks ran dry.”
The Patriots carried the momentum into the overtime period, but could not find the game winner.
“It is two good teams. They both played as hard as they could and left everything out on the field. I think as a coach that is what I most proud about in my team,” Julian said. “You get down 2-0, you can just lay over and let the other team get a couple of more goals. We battled back and in the last 20 (minutes) and we got two goals. In overtime we had some chances. One team has to go on. That is the second time that we played Woodrow (this year) and we are 1-1. They won the most important game though. I respect Woodrow Wilson a lot and their coach a lot. I wished them luck after the game.”
Laraba talked about his team’s ability to weather the storm and answer the challenge in the overtime sessions to advance to the state championship match.
“As the game went on, we got a little tired and hit some big balls just to clear our lines, but that is not what we do,” Laraba said. “Then this little sequence (with Bishop and Fayiah), where we had was a real combination play. A.J. had just come (back) on a little prior to that. He had some fresh legs and he was able to make the run. Michael made a great pass and (A.J.) slid it right home.”
