On Monday, Eastside Catholic Boys Soccer concluded their Metro League regular season with a thrilling performance that ended in a 4–2 home win against Ingraham which secured first place in the Metro Sound division and guaranteed their place in the playoffs.
The Crusaders immediately began affecting the game. EC captain Santino Miguel-Sassano made a decisive move five minutes into the game by rushing down an attempted clearance by an Ingraham defender. The ball bounced off Santi’s thigh before shooting into the goal to give EC an excellent start with a 1–0 advantage.
EC enjoyed another payoff from their relentless high press by the 20th minute. After forcing a turnover in the attacking zone they played the ball into the penalty area before Preston Bender scored with a controlled push shot to extend their lead by two.
But Ingraham refused to go down quietly. They made a remarkable comeback in ten minutes when they scored two rapid goals through a corner kick header and a swift counterattack that brought the game to a 2–2 tie.
EC regained momentum as the first half neared its conclusion. At the 40-minute mark Evan Kim capitalized on a loose ball beyond the penalty area and executed an exceptional chip shot over the goalkeeper to bring EC back ahead before the half-time break.
During the second half EC maintained a solid defensive stance and kept advancing the ball forward. Xak Mitchell delivered the half’s standout moment and possibly the match’s defining play by launching a powerful strike from beyond the penalty area that sailed into the top corner for a 4–2 lead and win.
Eastside Catholic earns the top spot in the Metro Sound division with this victory and will meet Franklin in the opening playoff round.
