Sam Fiera didn’t play a minute Saturday as Lake Central and Morton went scoreless through regulation and overtime in the Class 3A East Chicago Central Sectional final.
The junior forward has played sparingly during the season.
But in its biggest moment, he delivered.
Fiera converted the decisive penalty kick on the sixth shooter as the Indians edged the Governors 6-5 in the PK segment. He calmly slotted the shot inside the left post.
“I’ve never really missed a PK in my life,” Fiera said. “I’ve always been confident on PKs. It’s the only thing I’ve known I could do.”
Lake Central (14-3-2), ranked No. 7 in the state coaches poll, and No. 17 Morton (17-1-1) each made its first five penalty kicks. After the Governors shot wide left on their sixth PK, coach Jereme Rainwater and the Indians debated whether Fiera or senior midfielder Blanco Rodriguez-Lara should step to the spot.
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“He pulled us both together and said, ‘Who do I go for?'” Fiera said. “I looked him in the eyes and said, ‘I want this one.’ He said, ‘You got it then.’ I just went up and put it away.
“When I saw it hit the net, I was ecstatic. I didn’t know what to do with myself.”
Rainwater didn’t hesitate to choose a player such as Fiera who hadn’t seen the field.
“Our sixth decided he wanted to be seventh and our sixth said, ‘Trust me on this’ — Sam said to trust him,” Rainwater said. “He’s an absolute finisher. He’s technical, he’s clinical in the 18. He’s a little bit on the slight side, but you’ll see a lot of him next year. I knew he could handle it when he looked me in the eyes and said, ‘I got this.’ When that ball went wide, we had a really good feeling Sam was going to put it away.”
Lake Central won its 15th straight sectional title, tying Munster’s state record that the Indians ended in Wednesday’s semifinals. They will play in the 11:30 a.m. semifinal of next Saturday’s Merrillville Regional against Crown Point (13-3-2), which also won in PKs Saturday against Chesterton. The Indians topped the Bulldogs 3-0 on Aug. 16.
“I’m trying to reflect back on the 14 previous and I can’t remember a championship game going to the sixth shooter,” Rainwater said. “Hats off to those kids. It makes the championship that much better because we played a legitimately undefeated team, a team that was fantastic from front to back. They were organized, disciplined.
“The game could’ve gone either way. If they’re standing here and we’re not, you’d have to completely tip your hat to them. They’re a really good team and it means a lot to win the 15th that way.”
The Governors went undefeated for the second straight regular season, but were a dramatically better team than last season’s that lost a sectional opener to Munster. This version had beaten the Indians 3-0 on Sept. 11.
On the sideline after the rematch, Morton senior central defender and captain Edgar Gutierrez was imparting inspiring words to his teammates. He praised their “amazing” play in a toss-up game and encouraged them not to put their heads down.
“We made everyone in Hammond proud,” Gutierrez told them.
Morton coach Chris Jagadich was asked about his message to the team.
“Be proud of what you did,” he said. “You’ve accomplished things people couldn’t dream you could accomplish.”
With a stiff wind at its back, Morton controlled the first half. Lake Central did likewise in the second.
But Indians senior goalkeeper Noah Osearo, who had six saves, and Governors junior David Figueroa, who had eight saves, both held firm.
The shutouts continued through overtime as the wind started gusting and it began pouring with three minutes left in the first extra half.
“It was back and forth, both teams had chances,” Jagadich said. “Both goalies made plays. The weather was difficult, but both teams played through it and played well despite the conditions. It was a great afternoon of soccer.”
Twitter @MichaelOsipoff