A golden goal in overtime by defender Patrick McGuirk capped off a dramatic 3-2 win for Mountain View over Rocklin in the NorCal Division I quarterfinals, a recent habit the team has developed in the playoffs.
Mountain View has had a drama-filled playoffs, starting with a CCS Division I win over St. Ignatius that included a missed penalty in the final minute, a penalty kick over Everett Alvarez in the CCS championship game in extra time to win 2-1, and last night’s header by McGuirk, the son of Mountain View head coach Jim McGuirk.
“Three out of our last four games have basically finished on the last play of the game,” Jim McGuirk said. “I can’t count three games in my entire life that have ended on the last play of the game.”
Visiting No. 5 seed Rocklin (14-6-4) opened the scoring in the first half and had early possession and chances to shoot during that time, taking advantage of tired legs from Mountain View. Despite being on low fuel after playing into extra time on Friday in the CCS Division I championship, No. 4 seed Mountain View answered with a Patrick McGuirk looping header in the last minute of the first half to make it 1-1.
“We hung in there and did what we always do,” Jim McGuirk said.
The Spartans thought they had won it with four minutes left in the second half, thanks to a goal from defender Jonah Fernandez. However, Rocklin had a late comeback of its own, scoring in the dying seconds to tie it 2-2, forcing a 15-minute overtime period decided by a golden goal, with penalties looming until McGuirk scored.
“We’ve been doing this for four years now, somehow, someway, when it doesn’t look good,” Jim McGuirk said. “You give up a goal in the last play of regulation, and you think we are down and out.”
Mountain View (19-3-2) advances on to visit No. 1 seed Davis Sr. (15-4-3) 5 p.m. Thursday.
