More News

Obed Agyei doesn't get to play a lot of offense for the Watkins Mill boys soccer team. But when called upon Tuesday night, he was ready to seize the opportunity.

The sophomore midfielder made the decisive run, feeding classmate Oscar Carcamo for a sensational finish in the Wolverines' 2-1 victory over host Seneca Valley in the second round of the 3A West Region playoffs.

"Obed was a man possessed on that run" shouted Watkins Mill head coach Jeff Heckert in the postgame huddle. "And we're not done yet!"

He gave Agyei the opportunity after striker William Youngia — who scored the game's first goal — was yellow-carded midway through the second half. Should Youngia have been carded again, he would have to miss a full playoff game, so Heckert rolled the dice and sat him.

That meant moving Agyei up top, which paid off just seconds after Screaming Eagles striker Kevin Echegaray tied the game with a penalty kick in the 62nd minute. After receiving a pass in the backfield, Agyei jetted 50 yards down the right flank, streaking around a Seneca defender who appeared to have the angle. After drawing goalkeeper Mike Kiriakou out of net, he delivered a pinpoint thru-ball to Carcamo for the easy finish.

"Once coach moved me up top, I was like ‘Oh my God, yes, this is my chance,'" said Agyei. "Once I made my first touch I said ‘Alright, no one's catching me.' Like coach said, I guess I was possessed on that play."

The No. 13 Eagles (5-7-2) played significantly better than their Sept. 21 matchup, which the Wolverines won, 2-0. After Agyei's goal, Echegaray broke in for one terrific chance, and also fed midfielder Daniel Paz for an opportunity just outside the penalty box. Paz's shot had eyes, but curled just outside the right post.

But in the end, the No. 12 Wolverines (7-8-1) were jubilant, huddled together and holding up four fingers. It was their fourth straight victory, but the number has another meaning at the moment.

"Four wins to a state championship," said Agyei.

The victory gives Watkins Mill at least one more game, a regional semifinal against No. 1 Tuscarora, who defeated No. 8 Quince Orchard, 5-1, on Tuesday night.

Seneca girls equally clutch

Following a similar script to the nightcap, the No. 4 Screaming Eagles responded to adversity almost immediately.

Exactly 60 seconds after No. 12 Clarksburg tied the game with just under seven minutes left, Seneca freshman Breanna Henderson replied with a goal of her own to clinch a 2-1 victory in the second round of the 3A West playoffs.

"She's a freshman but that's her fifth or sixth goal already," said Seneca Valley head coach Claude Sayag. "She didn't start the game and she's playing sick."

Regardless of illness, Henderson was opportunistic, running onto an arching touch pass from defender Dani Bankins and finding the lower left corner just past Clarksburg goalie Christy Opiekun. The Eagles (9-5) took the lead midway through the first half on an outstanding individual effort by midfielder Jasmine Sampson, who outraced a defender to the ball, touched perfectly to her right and finished in the lower right corner.

They held the lead until Coyotes forward Gaby Chavira — who narrowly missed finishing twice in the game's first minute — ran onto a long ball while colliding with Seneca goalkeeper Tiffany Wilson. The ball squirted free in the box, and junior Lexi McCarty easily put the ball in the open net.

Clarksburg almost got another chance in the waning stages — Sayag admitted he thought a penalty kick could have been called during a frantic final minute.

Instead, the Eagles move on to face the big bully, No. 1 Quince Orchard, which seeks its fourth straight state final.

"I don't know if we can beat them," said Henderson. "But we can put up a good fight."