Box Score

ELLISVILLE, Ms. – It was the scenario every young athlete dreams of. Overtime. Game on the line. A chance to win a championship.

 

Angelo Fabricio's low screamer in LSUE's fifth penalty kick try not only made that dream come true but helped deliver a championship to a team that was created just six months ago.

LSU Eunice overcame a two-goal deficit and defeated Jones College in penalty kicks, 4-2, to capture the 2018 Region 23 Men's Soccer Championship.  The Bengals (9-2-2) advance to the South District playoffs where LSUE will host Northeast Texas CC this week for a spot in the upcoming NJCAA National Tournament.
 
"There have been two main factors to our success this season and it showed up in a big way today," LSU Eunice head coach Josh McReynolds said.  "We have a group of guys that really care for each other and hold each other accountable – those two aspects were paramount for us throughout the year and especially in this game."
 
Fabricio's (Jundiai, Brazil, St. Amant HS (LA)) penalty kick was the capper in a tense overtime session.  After Adrian Franco blasted his kick through, Jones College's Lucas Middleton's wide shot gave the Bengals the early edge. 
 
Sean Jeanfreau (Mandeville, LA, Mandeville HS) punched away Glenn Waters' offering in the third round to put the Bengals ahead 3-1.  Timon Zech (Starnberg, Germany) and Axell Fuentes (Bridge City, LA, L.W. Higgins HS (LA)) were also successful in their penalty kick attempts.
 
"We practiced a similar penalty kick scenario on Thursday that I believe helped the team mentally prepare for this type of situation," McReynolds added.
 
For the second time in the Region 23 Tournament, LSU Eunice found itself with a halftime deficit.  Jones College roared out with an early goal from Glenn Waters followed by tallies by Dalton Morgan and Cris Rodrigo.  Devin Pathoumthong (Madisonville, LA, Mandeville HS) was the lone goal scorer in the first half for LSUE with a 30th minute tap-in that would briefly tie the game.
 
Both teams would also go into halftime down a man as both Jose Ventura-Castro (Lafayette, LA, Lafayette HS) and JC's Malachi Harrison were sent off in the final minute before intermission.
 
"Coach Ian (McGimsey) and I made adjustments to our form at half as to how we thought Jones would counter with the man down," McReynolds added.  "Devin Pathoumthong and Noah Wagner (Corpus Christi, TX, Veterans Memorial HS) were two guys I felt thrived in that alignment and were the difference in our comeback."
 
Igor Castillo-Veliz (Baton Rouge, LA, Woodlawn HS) began the rally in the first minute after the halftime break.  The midfielder booted a low dribbler to the far post to get the Bengals within one.  Two minutes later, Pathoumthong recorded his second goal of the day after linking up with Wagner on a throw-in.
 

Adrian Franco (Houston, TX, Andy Dekaney HS (TX)) gave LSUE its first lead of the game in the 65th minute with a bending shot to the left post, his team-high 12th goal of the season.  Jones College would respond just a minute later to knot up the game again at 4-4.
 
Sean Jeanfreau turned in a valiant effort in goal, taking in nine saves on the game.
 

"We've been in tough battles all season and our guys knew what it was going to take to come out on the right side of things today," McReynolds remarked. 
 
"This was our fourth overtime game of the year and that experience was a major reason the team was so composed under a tense situation."
 
Neither team was able to score in the two ten-minute overtime periods.  Axell Fuentes gave LSUE its best chances in the extra sessions, having two shots nearly miss.
 
LSU Eunice now turns its attention to the NJCAA South District Playoffs where the Bengals will host Northeast Texas CC.  The date and game time will be announced later in the week.
 
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