Back-to-back: Eastside downs Lucy Beckham in 4OT for second-straight state title
The Eastside Lady Eagles went back-to-back as soccer state champions, downing Lucy Beckham 2-1 in four overtimes.
Payton Nutzman didn’t want to go to penalty kicks. Neither did the rest of her Lady Eagle soccer team.
They came dangerously close. Four overtimes and 103 minutes later, however, Nutzman ensured PKs wouldn’t be necessary. With one swing of her left leg, Nutzman earned the Lady Eagles their second-straight state championship — and etched her name in history.
Nutzman’s 30-yard strike into the top corner of the net gave Eastside a 2-1 win over Lucy Beckham in Saturday’s Class 4-A state championship. It was a golden goal, meaning the game was over as soon as the shot ripple the net.
“I didn’t even know the shot had gone in,” said Nutzman. “Once I heard everybody screaming and rushing towards me, that’s when I knew.”
As the stands packed with Eastside fans erupted, the Lady Eagle bench emptied to swarm Nutzman on the field — head coach David Craig included.
“It was all a blur,” said Craig. “We’d been asking Payton to take that shot all game long. When she gets the opportunity, even from 25-30 yards out, we want her to take it.
“I think that’s the first time I’ve ever run onto the field to celebrate with the team. I somehow ended up out there and was thinking ‘Wait a minute, what am I doing? I don’t do this.”
Nutzman’s goal capped off a dominant season for the Lady Eagles (22-2) and ended a stalemate match.
The first half of Saturday’s state championship presented few chances for either side. Craig believed his team was playing too tight and encouraged them to loosen up at the half.
Twenty seconds after the break, Eastside broke through.
Nutzman played a well-timed ball to the back post and found the waiting Kennedy Craig. She made no mistake from four years out.
“We were talking at halftime about how we were playing way too stressed out,” said Kennedy. “We just needed to calm down and play our game. Once we did that, we scored right away.”
In the 59th minute, Lucy Beckham evened the score with a bouncing ball that Eastside goalkeeper Ava Wilson lost in the sun.
Neither team created much more in regulation, sending the game to overtime.
Four overtimes later, Nutzman put Eastside back on top of the mountain.
“I prayed for a moment like that to happen before the game,” said Nutzman. “I still can’t believe it.”
Despite doubts from outside voices coming into this season, Eastside went back-to-back and silenced those who didn’t think it could happen.
“I’m so happy we did it again. We had so many people saying we were only good last year,” said Kennedy. “But we proved them all wrong.”
“Whatever it may be, I hope every one of these kids on this team knows that they played a role in getting us back here,” said David. “Whether it’s scoring a goal and getting an assist in the championship or just cheering the team on from the bench, everyone that’s been a part of this team means so much. We couldn’t have done it without them.”
GAME RECAP 1H 2H OT1 OT2 OT3 OT4 FINAL
Lucy Beckham 0 1 0 0 0 0 1
Eastside 0 1 0 0 0 1 2
SCORING SUMMARY
41’ | EASTSIDE - Kennedy Craig (assisted by Payton Nutzman)
59’ | LUCY BECKHAM - Iacofano Lilliana (assisted by Reagan Soldano)
103’ | EASTSIDE - Payton Nutzman (assisted by Camille Carter)