COLORADO SPRINGS – Being a hero doesn’t have an expiration date for Ben Brown – which was a very good thing for the Air Academy High School soccer team.
For the second time in two days Brown delivered in the clutch for the Kadets.
Brown’s latest performance came on the biggest stage as he blasted a 25-yard rocket in for a goal early in the second half vaulting the Air Academy to a 1-0 win over Mullen in the Class 4A boys soccer state championship Friday night at Weidner Field.
“This feels amazing, like nothing I have ever felt before, for sure,” Brown said. “I have been dreaming about this for so long and see it come to fruition is such a blessing. I may have made that kick a couple of times in practice before actually every practice that I have taken that shot I have never missed it.
“It felt like it was 50 (yards out), but I think it was 25. I got a good, firm hit on the ball.”
Air Academy finished its memorable season with a 16-1-2 record. The Kadets have now won six boys soccer state championships, its last coming in 2018.
Mullen was searching for its second state boys soccer state crown to accompany the one he captured in 2011. The Mustangs finished the season 16-2-2.
“Right now, I feel relief, like a job well done,” longtime Kadets coach Espen Hosoien said. “I can go home kick my legs up on the couch and enjoy this. I can’t tell you how much I admire these guys and their courage and their push the whole season. To get to come to Weidner Field and do it at home makes it pretty special as well.
“It has been too long since we (last won state). These guys deserve and our fans deserve it.”
These two talented teams essentially sparred in the first half and neither could land a scoring blow as the game was 0-0 at intermission.
Mullen had a great chance to take the lead eight minutes into the second half, but Rocco Manerbino launched a free kick over the crossbar.
That set the stage for Brown.
With 17:40 left in the game, he smashed his long-range boot – his 20th goal of the season – just over the head of Mullen goalie Ethan DesMarteau.
On Wednesday, Brown made a penalty kick with two seconds left in regulation against Battle Mountain, a game the Kadets eventually won 3-2 in overtime.
“We struggled getting shots on frame in the first half and it takes one,” Hosoien said. “He (Brown) has done it all year. I have seen them in practice, and he knows how to hit them. Obviously it was a banger as we like to call it and I’m happy for him. He deserves it.”
Just over two minutes later – at the 15:35 mark – Mullen’s Liam Sapuppo sliced a shot from the left corner only to be knocked away at the last second by Air Academy goalie Jackson Gorr.
The Mustangs continued to frantically press the attack, and they got close, but Gorr stopped them in their tracks by recovering the ball in the scrum with 2:58 left, which essentially sealed the victory.
“This is unbelievable,” Gorr said. “I have been dreaming about since I was a little kid when I came and watched (state championship games). I have been a Kadet since birth and coming here and winning state in a Kadet uniform is a huge deal for me. I wanted to do this forever. I’m absolutely ecstatic. I don’t think I’m going to sleep tonight.”
