Dylan Nichols is an ASU Cronkite School of Journalism student assigned to cover ALA Gilbert North for AZPreps365.com

It was 3-0 in favor of the Northwest Christian Crusaders. And then, just like that, it wasn’t. The No.1 seeded ALA-Gilbert North Eagles came back to defeat No. 4 Northwest Christian 4-3 in the semifinals of the 2022 AIA Boys Soccer State Championships.

“This team knows how to fight,” said Eagles head coach Micheal Gonzalez. “They know the pressure and they can handle it.”

The Crusaders had a number of factors working in their favor in the first half. One of which was their defensive strategy against Eagles star senior Justin Provenzano. Provenzano was blanketed for the majority of the game, often drawing multiple defenders towards him while the Eagles were on offense. With their key piece being neutralized, the Eagles could not create consistent pressure on offense.

Two other factors played a key role in the first half: wind and sunshine. The game kicked off at 4:30 PM and the Eagles started out defending on the east side of the field. With the setting sun glaring in their eyes, and a steady east breeze coming in, the Eagles defense was tormented by an aggressive offensive game plan from the Crusaders. Crusaders forward Andrew Mayer found the net with 13 minutes remaining and gave Northwest Christian a 3-0 lead at the half.

“We prepare a lot, but there are obviously some things you just can’t prepare for,” said Gonzalez.

After roughing the elements in the first half, the Eagles took the field in the second half with clear eyes, the wind at their backs, and a determined Justin Provenzano.

“We were sloppy in the first half, we were inside our own heads,” said Provenzano. “But we took a deep breath and we remembered who we were.”

Provenzano would put the Eagles on the board 9 minutes into the half on a penalty kick. 15 minutes later Provenzano would score again putting the Eagles within 1 with 21 minutes remaining in the match.

The Crusaders hoped their 2nd half defense would continue to hold, but Provenzano managed to find enough space to create plays for his team despite Crusader’s extra effort to contain him. 

“Get up on #16!(Provenzano)” shouted Crusader defenseman Grant Gibson. “Get up on him and stay on his back!” After giving up the two goals, Northwest Christian began running a very conservative playstyle oftentimes keeping nine players near the goal on defense, desperate to keep their 1-goal lead.

This defensive playstyle worked well, but with the wind at his back, ALA Gilbert North junior goalkeeper Roger Mayorga delivered multiple booming kicks allowing the Eagles to continuously put pressure on the Crusader defense. 

That pressure finally broke through as junior Elijah Call squeaked one past a host of Northwest Christian defenders to tie the game at 3-3 with a little less than 10 minutes to play.

Without any lead to protect, the Crusaders tried to find rhythm on offense, but the momentum had swung in favor of the Eagles. Their defense offered no space and Mayorga locked down the net for the entirety of the second half.

Finally, with 3:16 remaining in the game, the Eagles took their first lead of the game on a beautiful strike from senior Raynaldo Pacheco making it 4-3. The Crusader defense again kept their focus on Provenzano after his two goals which allowed for other opportunities to open elsewhere for the Eagles.

“I have great teammates. They stepped up when we needed them to,” said Provenzano.

ALA-Gilbert North now has a date with destiny on Friday night. The Eagles will be playing for the chance to win their second straight 3A AIA Boys Soccer State Championship. They will face Phoenix Country Day Friday, Feb. 18 at 7:15 p.m. at Glendale High School.