GRAND RAPIDS, Mich. — A Michigan soccer team pulled off one of the most amazing endings to a sporting event you'll ever see to win a state tournament game last week.
Grand Rapids West Catholic High School was less than 10 seconds from upsetting Grand Rapids Unity Christian, which was ranked third in the state, when the Crusaders found the back of the net to tie the game with just seven seconds remaining.
Facing overtime against a team that had shut them out twice during the regular season, a pair of West Catholic teammates hatched a plan.
Junior Connor Foley told MLive.com teammate Carson Beekman approached him as they walked back to midfield for the ensuing kickoff and said, "Just shoot it."
As soon as the referee signaled to resume play, Beekman touched the ball and stepped back as Foley charged and booted a long, arcing shot toward the Unity Christian net. The goalkeeper leaped into the air as he backed toward the goal, but the ball glanced off his glove and into the net, securing the miraculous 2-1 win for the Falcons.
“I’m like, ‘No way, no way.’ I must have said that 10 times,” West Catholic coach Randy Tran told MLive.com.
“As soon as I kicked it, I honestly thought it felt awesome coming off my foot,” Foley told the website. “It felt good. I was confident that it would be in the area of the net hopefully. I couldn’t believe it. It was an awesome feeling.”
West Catholic's season ended Monday with a 3-1 district semifinal loss to Grand Rapids Covenant Christian, but Foley's boot won't soon be forgotten.