GLEN BURNIE — It felt like Allegany and Liberty deserved a penalty kick shootout, but the Lions had other ideas.
Just 21 seconds separated the squads and PKs, and that’s all Zach Bauer needed to put a Brady Bergen throw-in across the goal line and end the Campers’ season in an instant.
Third-seeded Allegany took the defending Class 1A state champion to the brink, but seventh-seeded Liberty emerged victorious with a 2-1 overtime triumph in the Class 1A state semifinals Saturday at North County High School.
“I’m proud of them,” Allegany head coach Blake Geatz said. “They’re fighters. That’s one of the worst ways for a team to go out. I thought we at least earned the right to decide it in penalty kicks there, but I’m proud of them.”
Allegany finished 13-3-1, falling in the state semifinals for the third time in five seasons. The Campers were state runner-ups in 2023.
Both teams scored their regulation goals in the first half.
Allegany pierced the goalmouth first when Noah Simmons slotted a tricky header from around the penalty kick line over the Liberty goalkeeper who was pulled out of position, converting on a Lincoln Isom service with 33:28 on the first-half clock.
Ryan Clapper, who converted a penalty kick in Liberty’s PK shootout win over Brunswick in last year’s Class 1A final, equalized with a strong left-footed shot from the boundary of the box at the 15:39 mark.
“They did exactly what I as a coach told them to do in the first half, which wasn’t working too well and it led to a goal,” Geatz said. “Second half, we did some adjustments tactically and I thought it looked a lot better. I thought we had some really threatening chances.”
Allegany made a formation switch to flood the midfield and get more players wide, and it proved successful, netting the Campers breakaway chances and set-piece opportunities.
The Campers’ best chance came in the 70th minute when Chris Manherz connected with Cole Ricker on a through ball, but his shot sliced just wide right.
Allegany was out-shot 20-11 overall but conceded just two shots on goal in the second half, both stopped by Mowbray.
Mowbray gave an inspired performance in his final high school game, notably saving the game with just four minutes to play in regulation. Jeese Rowe sprung free down the right side, and Mowbray made a kick save at point-blank range.
He later made a stop after punching away a corner kick in the 92nd minute, denying Liberty’s second shot on a rocket strike through a host of bodies in the box that somehow made its way to a tumbling Mowbray.
“This is exactly what you expect of a four-year senior player,” Geatz said of his keeper, who finished with nine saves. “He’s been in a situation like this before, but he stepped up today, saved our (tails) there. … He did everything in his power to make sure we were in that game.”
While Allegany was the area’s preseason No. 1 team, some questioned whether the Campers could compete for a state championship when pitted against the strong brand of possession soccer played by larger schools downstate.
Those expectations further waned when standout freshman Luca Jacovino suffered a season-ending injury midway through the season.
For a program that had been to zero state tournaments prior to 2015 — and has now made four in the past five years — Allegany has proved itself as a perennial threat.
Allegany, in search of its first title, has just one more hurdle left to climb.
“We were 21 seconds from possibly being a championship caliber team,” Geatz said. “They proved a lot of people wrong.
“The level that this program’s come to in the past decade, we expect every year pretty much to be in the state championship. That’s a testament to all these seniors that are leaving now that have lifted our program, and a testament to the younger kids. … The future is bright.”