The boys’ soccer team beat Edison High School 3-2 on the road Friday, in the second round of the California Interscholastic Federation (CIF) Division 1 playoffs.
In a golden goal overtime, striker Nathan Casamassima ’24, who came back from injury recently, scored to preserve the team’s season. With the win over Edison, the boys will advance to the quarterfinals, which will be hosted at home against Millikan High School next Tuesday.
In regulation, striker Micah Rossen ’25 and defender JT Federman ’24 each contributed goals. In the first half, Rossen netted a long-distance goal in the 12th minute to open the match.
After taking the ball up the left side, Rossen passed it down to striker Cole Grossman ’25, who promptly threaded it back to him driving to the middle. Rossen, having found a new position in front of the box, struck twine in the upper left corner, bringing the team up 1-0.
Edison quickly responded with a goal of their own, tying the game at 1-1.
Later in the 39th minute, after a couple minutes going back-and-forth, the Wolverines acquired a corner kick, allowing them to run a set play before the end of the half. After some quick motion, a corner pass was delivered to a mob of players from both teams. But in Federman’s first goal of the game, he elevated above the group and headed in a ball that aired over the goalie, giving the team a 2-1 going into the half.
Edison capitalized on the team’s scoreless second half, scoring an equalizer to put the game at two goals each. The team was unable to score after, sending the match to overtime. In CIF playoff soccer, an overtime match is won by the first team that is able to score a “golden goal”.
In the team’s game winning offensive, striker Theo Ottosson ’25 tried to score one past the goalie. But after it was tipped a few feet in front, within a second, Casamassima returned it back to the other side of the goal, where there were no defenders.
CIF-SS Boys Soccer Division I Playoffs – Round 2:@hwathletics defeats @SoccerEdison 3-2 with a Golden Goal in OT by Nate Casamassima.@latsondheimer @haleymsawyer @Tarek_Fattal @jakelancer_ pic.twitter.com/C3HLnjpvW4
— Harvard-Westlake (@hwathletics) February 10, 2024
No offside penalty was ruled, and the Wolverines were able to secure their second playoff win, and their first overtime win of the season. The boys look to continue their early playoff success at home Tuesday, already having bested last years’ CIF campaign, which ended at the second round with a loss to Glendale.
