By Luke Nadkarni / Scrimmageplaycva.com contributor
Albemarle’s boys soccer team continued its improbable run through the playoffs Wednesday night, overcoming an 80-minute weather delay between halves to dismantle visiting Thomas Jefferson 5-1 behind a balanced offensive effort in the 5A North Region semifinals. With the win, the Patriots clinched a spot in next week’s 5A state tournament, their second trip in three years after the program’s 2012 state title run.
Kevin Salazar led the way for the Patriots with two goals and an assist while Adonis Krasniqi, Marcel Berry and Brendan Moyers each totaled a goal and an assist each in the romp.
“It was a pretty close game for the first half,” said Albemarle coach Jeff Balnave. “After the break our guys came out refreshed and fired up, and we knocked [the ball] around and scored a bunch of goals. It was great to watch.”
Albemarle struck early when Krasniqi found Berry six minutes in, and the William and Mary commit beat Jefferson goalkeeper Ryan Morris for a 1-0 lead. The Colonials equalized at the midway point of the second half, with Jackson DuBro doing the honors from point-blank range to tie it at one. This came a minute after AHS goalie Matt Natale made a spectacular diving save on a Jonathan Colen penalty kick.
The score remained tied until the very end of the half. With time winding down, the Colonials were called for a foul on their half of the field, drawing a free kick. The clock showed no time, but after some confusion, the officials put five seconds on the clock and that was just enough time for Moyers to float the free kick into the box for Salazar, who headed it in to give Albemarle a lead it would not give up.
“I knew Brendan was going to play that ball, so I made the run,” Salazar said. “I just let it hit my head.”
As the teams prepared to take the field for the second half, a thunderstorm hit, clearing the stadium and leaving the rest of the game in doubt. After an hour and 20 minutes, the teams returned and midway through the half, the Patriots blew the game open as quickly as the lightning that had earlier illuminated the sky.
“I didn’t really ask them to do much of anything [during the break],” Balnave said. “I didn’t talk to them much. I just let them play their music and be loose.”
Moyers got the merry-go-round started at the 23:08 mark, with his shot from just inside the box deflecting off a Jefferson defender and into the back of the net. Three minutes later, Salazar fed Krasniqi, who floated it over Morris’ outstretched arms to make it 4-1. Salazar put the icing on the cake with 13:16 remaining, taking a pass from Berry after a long run and finding the bottom right corner for the final margin.
Albemarle has one more regional game to play Friday at 6 p.m. as it travels to take on Broad Run in the 5A North title game. Both teams are guaranteed spots in the state tournament.
