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The High Point High School boys' soccer team twice erased one-goal deficits in Friday's 4A state semifinal against Whitman, and twice the Eagles gave back the lead, falling 3-2 in their bid for a berth in the state title game.
High Point (13-3) answered both of Whitman forward Scott Gerfen's first two tallies, but failed to fire back on his third, a quick shot from a yard out that squirted past goalkeeper Herman Keungwe's fingers with 12 minutes, 38 seconds left in the match.
"Before the game, I told [my players], ‘This is it. There's no tomorrow. You've got to give it all you got,'" said High Point coach Michael Holt. "They did an excellent job. They have nothing to be ashamed of. They played very, very well."
Whitman held High Point's leading scorer Eric Medrano without a goal and with just three shots on goal. Before Friday, the senior forward had 25 goals in 11 games this season.
"This is one of the few games I can remember where he didn't score," Holt said. "They had three guys on him at all times, so other guys needed to step up, and we got a couple goals from other guys."
High Point junior midfielders Ayiss Akuum and Chris Vargas each scored game-tying goals, but no one could find the back of the net during a frenzied final 15 minutes that saw High Point squander several scoring chances.
Whitman coach Dave Greene ranked High Point's offensive play among the best in Maryland.
"First of all, let's give credit to them," Greene said. "They were good. I mean, attack-wise, other than McDonough, they're the best attacking team we've ever played."
Trailing 2-1 at the half, High Point didn't put a shot anywhere near the Whitman goal until nearly midway through the second half, when a shot by Vargas from 20 yards out clanged off the football crossbar above the goal. Nine minutes later, Vargas came back with another laser from 18 yards away that tied the score 2-2. But five minutes after that, Gerfen finished his hat trick and sent Whitman to the state title game.
"I thought we had a great game," Vargas said. "It was unlucky that they had the goal right after ours. I felt we were even with them and we matched them ‘til the end. Winning the regional finals and getting here by playing these great teams was a great experience. It's been an honor."
