Mustangs Claim Movie-Worthy State Title Game

Academics would define pressure as "the burden of physical or mental distress," precisely as it appears in the Merriam-Webster Dictionary. A high school soccer goaltender might define it a little differently. Say, "facing a penalty kick with 16 minutes remaining in a scoreless tie in the State Finals."

But when George Mason High School senior goaltender Alex Fatovic found himself in this exact situation Saturday, the Bull Run District Player of the Year handled the pressure and the penalty kick to preserve the tie and pave the way for sophomore Gregg Curtin’s game winning goal and a 1-0 victory over rival Clarke County in the title game of the Virginia Group A State Tournament at Radford University.

Just as in the previous four matches this season, the two soccer powers matched up evenly throughout the game with few scoring chances for either team until an aggressive challenge by two Mason defenders led to the penalty kick and set the state for the late-game drama.

"I couldn’t believe they got another penalty kick," Fatovic said noting that the Eagles have been awarded a penalty kick in three of the team’s five meetings. "I was thinking: Is this how my last season in high school is going to end?"

Senior Gavin Kashani, the Eagles’ leading scorer, lined up the kick and sent the kick towards the corner of the goal, but Fatovic beat the shot and saved Kashani’s shot off the rebound as well to keep the match scoreless.

"I read him, but you can never be sure," Fatovic said. "But I guessed right and made the save."

With the momentum squarely behind the Mustangs, Curtin chest-trapped a pass off the head of senior Peter Dittmar and a sent a one-time shot off his left foot and into the lower-right corner of the net to provide the only goal the Mustangs would need to claim their fourth State Championship in six years.

"It was just a strike of the moment. It was one of the best feelings of my life to win a state championship, especially if you score the only goal to win it," Curtin said of his ninth, but certainly most noteworthy goal of the season. "I was just doing my best for the team. Alex saved the game, I just finished it."

"There were three reasons why we won: Alex, Alex and Alex," Mason Head Coach Art Iwanicki said. "The team played very well, but Alex made the difference. That was the most incredible goalkeeping performance I’ve ever seen at any level. Steven Spielberg couldn’t have written it any better."

Fatovic made nine saves in the match, with equal credit going to a suffocating defensive effort that frustrated Clarke players throughout the match. Clarke controlled the midfield early, with Mason assistant coach Frank Spinello praising senior Alex Montgomery for a gritty effort to keep the game even. At the half, Mason Head Coach Art Iwanicki brought the taller junior Josiah Larson into the center of the field to contend with the larger Clarke players. The strategy paid dividends and the tide slowly turned to Mason’s favor.

"We wouldn’t be here if it wasn’t for our defense," Fatovic said. He has been playing with Dittmar for the last five years dating back to their days on the J.V. team. As a team Mason only allowed eight goals in 21 games this season.

For the Mustangs, the game against the Eagles was their second of the day and in all they played 132 minutes. Earlier Mason fended off a valiant effort by Radford High School 1-0 after lightning interrupted their match on Friday and had to be picked up Saturday morning. A highlight goal by senior Peter Hamill on an assist from sophomore Mike Chaves in the 23rd minute provided the game-winning margin, while Fatovic made 10 saves, including two on point-blank shots with 16 minutes remaining to preserve the victory.

Like their female counterparts, the boys soccer team was also awarded the Virginia High School League Sportsmanship Award. The Mustangs conclude the season with a record of 19-3-1 and the Bull Run District and Regular Season Championships, in addition to the State Championship, the fourth for Mason and the third under Iwanicki’s tenure as Head Coach.