St. Albans breaks the deadlock to secure the DCSAA boys’ soccer title

Looking to break a deadlock with Gonzaga, St. Albans lifted a corner kick toward the goal in the second half of Sunday’s D.C. State Athletic Association boys’ soccer championship game.

Sophomore Xixi Espinoza got to the initial looping header and rose up over a pair of defenders and the onrushing goalkeeper to square a header of his own across the penalty box. The ball found the feet of freshman Parker Leyden, who swept home the first and only goal of the game.

A finish from a freshman and a late acrobatic save by sophomore keeper William Eastright lifted St. Albans to a 1-0 win at Catholic University’s Carlini Field, securing a championship treble. The Bulldogs previously claimed the Interstate Athletic Conference regular season and tournament titles.

“We don’t have that one guy who kind of runs the show that we’ve had in years past. It really has been a group effort,” St. Albans Coach Brian Schultz said. “Every day, each guy is stepping up in his own way, and when one guy doesn’t, the next guy steps up — and that’s exactly what happened today.”

The teams played a scoreless first half despite a flurry of Gonzaga chances around the midway point and St. Albans (17-1-2) growing into the game in the final minutes. For the match, the Bulldogs were outshot 14-8 but found the lone breakthrough in the 67th minute.

“My job isn’t to score,” Leyden said of the play that led to his goal. “I was just on the goalie to try to block him, and then I saw Xixi head it, so I moved back a little bit.”

“The rest is history,” Espinoza added.

Gonzaga (12-7-5) found the net after a scramble in the penalty box with seven minutes remaining but was ruled to have interfered with Eastright, who spilled the ball after colliding with a group of players.

Gonzaga’s best chance came with just three minutes left. Alexander Weng adjusted his body and connected on a cross with a bicycle kick that seemed destined for the back of the net, but Eastright dived to his left and parried the ball away.

“Those [saves] are all adrenaline-driven,” said Eastright, who was named match MVP. “It was just reaction, staying in the game. And then after them, it’s just the best feeling ever.”

St. Albans’s defense posted its 12th clean sheet of the season. A group that allowed just 11 goals in 20 matches let the Bulldogs secure their third DCSAA title.