By Kenny Varner

WINGATE – Playing in an overtime thriller, Juniata’s Ricky Guante came through for the Juniata boys soccer team as he blasted a cross corner blast to lead his Indians to the next round of the District 6 playoffs with the 3-2 win over Philipsburg-Osceola.

“Hats off to Philipsburg. They came out and gave us everything they had. We were prepared but I don’t think we were as prepared as what we should have been,” said Juniata coach Jared Byler. “At halftime we told them they had to play a full forty minutes of soccer. It can’t be 39 minutes. What we got was 37 minutes out of them. In the last three minutes we got out of our rhythm. We fell apart defensively and that’s what allowed them to tie.”

It was a nail biter from beginning to end.

Just coming off a marathon contest against a tough Halifax team in the Tri-Valley League Championship game, the Juniata Indians opened their 2024 District 6 post season against Philipsburg-Osceola and sharpshooter and Carson Long in yet another extra period contest. .

The game would end up to be an overtime thriller as the two teams went into a Golden Goal overtime battle.

At the minute mark Guante got in front of the Mounties defenders and blasted a shot that hit the corner of the Philipsburg-Osceola goal to end the contest.

“He’s a phenomenal player. Good players show up at the right time in big moments and that’s what he did,” said Byler. “Got the ball about 40 yards out and took it in. He did everything we asked of him.”

The game opened as a back-and-forth battle of wills with both teams taking the ball deep into the others’ side of the field.

Coming out of the intermission, the Juniata offense came alive constantly down in the Mounties side of the field as they plastered 21 shots at Thompson. Thompson kept the Mounties within striking g distance with 11 saves.

In the battle between Anthony Maradiaga and Thompson, Maradiago won this battle as he smashed as diving kick past the diving Thompson for the unassisted, goal at 27:40.

As the clock wound down, Long had his chance to knot the contest and took advantage of the opportunity.

At 2:32 left in regulation, Long broke free and labeled a shot past Dessin, sending the game into overtime.

Maradiaga and Mounties’ goalie Thompson had many of battles at the net early on. Each time in the first, Thompson would foil Maradiaga’s run in the first. Thompson finished the first half with five saves.

Juniata goalie Wyatt Dessin was just as successful and aggressive stopping potential runs coming out and kicking it. He finished with two early saves.

Long and Philipsburg-Osceola struck first as the leading scorer got free and posted a blast that hit the top of the cross bar and bounced in, making it a 1-0 with 28:21 left.

Juniata refused to go away and knotted the game at one when Anderson Portzline picked up a pass from Authur Hazard and sent it home at the 23:27 mark.

Defensively, both team’s backline were a very valuable commodity for their teams, keeping the game knotted at one as the intermission got underway.

With the win, the Indians advance to the next round against a team to be determined.

Juniata 3 , Philipsburg – Osceola 2 (OT)

PO.     11 0 – 2

JUN.  11 1 – 3

Scoring

First half

PO – Carson Long unassisted, 28:23.

JUN – Anderson Portzline from Authur Hazard, 23:27.

Second half

JUN – Anthony Maradiaga unassisted, 27:40.

Overtime

JUN – Ricky Guante unassisted,

Shots on goal: JUN -34. PO –   8.

Corners: JUN –   5. PO –   5.

Saves: JUN – Wyatt Dessin 4. PO –   Matt Thompson 16.