WEST SENECA — Heading into overtime of the Class C Far West Regional, Wilson forward Aidan Neumann received a straightforward, motivating message from Lakemen assistant coach Stephen McCarthy.
“Keep your head up, God will give you an opportunity,” McCarthy told his star forward.
Sure enough, 11 minutes into overtime, that opportunity came.
Neumann’s hat trick goal in the 91st minute gave Wilson a 3-2 win over Section V’s Naples on Friday night at West Seneca West High School, sending the Lakemen to the state semifinals for the first time since 2001.
“That whole game was just back and forth,” said Wilson head coach Paul Herrmann. “We’re in overtime, and Aiden Neumann gets that goal and sends us to states. … I didn’t even cheer for the last goal, I was just in shock.”
The game-winning goal may not have been how Wilson (20-0-0) drew it up, but it counted all the same.
Defender Archer Simpson played a ball down the left wing to Neumann, who shielded it and turned off a defender to open space for a look at goal. The senior forward let loose a low, hard shot that appeared harmless off the foot, but it squeaked out of the hands of the Naples goalkeeper and crept over the goal line.
The game-winner sent the sizable Wilson contingent into pandemonium, as a shirtless Neumann and his team sprinted over to celebrate with the crowd.
“Archer passed it to me down the line and I shielded it, tried to get a turn and shot it on the ground as hard as possible,” Neumann said of his game-winning goal, his 54th of the season. “My teammates, they set it all up for me and I just finish, that’s my job.”
The game had the makings of a championship on paper, and it certainly fit that billing.
Naples and Wilson were both undefeated and ranked first and second, respectively, in the state heading into Friday’s matchup, and the two teams had the dramatics going even before overtime began.
A hectic end to regulation saw Neumann score a penalty kick after a Naples handball that put Wilson up 2-1 in the 73rd minute and within touching distance of the state semifinals – only for the Big Green to equalize less than a minute later, when Jack Didas pounced on a long rebound to send the game to overtime.
“We had some adversity right there at the end, but we regrouped in the huddle and believed in each other,” Neumann said. “We’re family. This whole ride, we’re just a family.”
The Big Green (19-1-0) had most of the possession during the match and outshot the Lakemen, putting more pressure on the Wilson defense and goalkeeper Eli Moore than they may have seen during the regular season. However, timely blocked shots, clearances and saves helped keep Wilson in the game.
“Aidan Neumann can’t be Aidan Neumann unless the other 10 behind him are there,” Herrmann said. “We’re all in this together. From the players to the coaching, my assistant coach, all that stuff.”
Wilson opened the scoring in the 18th minute, when Cole Herrmann played a beautifully weighted pass for Neumann to latch onto, which he slotted into the bottom right corner. The Lakemen held onto their 1-0 lead at halftime.
The Big Green tied the game early in the second half, as their leading scorer Connor Betrus found space just outside the 18-yard box and rocketed a shot into the top right corner that left Moore rooted to the spot.
The Lakemen will face either Section III’s Bishop Ludden or Section IV’s Seton Catholic Central in the final four matchup, as they sit just two wins away from their first boys soccer state title in school history.
“We need to keep preparing every practice,” Neumann said. “We almost lost that one, so we know now that it’s not going to be easy. We just got to keep going.”
The semifinal game is an early one, scheduled for 8:45 a.m. on Nov. 15 at Middletown High School.