Santiago Vega's 2OT goal sends Schalmont back to Middletown

WATERFORD - The 2024 Boys Soccer season for the Schalmont Sabres is becoming quite magical.

This time, it's Sophomore Forward Santiago Vega, who took a feed from Luke Viscusi inside the box, and put it top corner past the keeper in double overtime as Schalmont comes away with the 2-1 victory over New Hartford in the NYSPHSAA Class A Regional Finals at Waterford-Halfmoon High School.

For Vega, it's his 7th goal of the season, and Viscusi's 8th assist of the season.

Video courtesy the NFHS Network

For Schalmont, the win advances the Sabres to the NYSPHSAA Class A Semifinals, where they'll face Brockport on Saturday, November 16th at 6PM over at Middletown High School in Orange County.  It is Schalmont's first trip to Middletown since 2018, when they beat Canton and Peru in the Regionals, but fell to Section 3's Westhill in the Semifinals.

It's been nothing short of a magical run for Schalmont this postseason.   The Sabres were down to 5 minutes left in their season in the Section 2 Class A Championship against Ichabod Crane over at Queensbury High School when a free kick by Corbert Hallberg finds its way to the back of the net to tie, then a minute into the 2nd Sudden Victory Overtime, Connor Byrnes hits a roller that found enough of the back of the goal line to count to advance to the State Tournament.

After beating Peru in the State Regional Semifinals at Bethlehem High School, the Sabres were tasked with stopping a New Hartford Spartans squad from Section 3 who in their Regional Semifinal, scored 9 goals in the second half to beat Section 10's Franklin Academy 11-1.   

And for the first 40 minutes, Schalmont held New Hartford at bay, but couldn't capitalize on their opportunities.  In the 16th minute, Hallberg missed a setup after the first corner kick of the game.  4 minutes later, Schalmont missed another prime opportunity as they couldn't kick with the keeper beat.  Two more minutes later, another shot was high of the cage.  

But Schalmont finally converted on their opportunities at the start of the 2nd half when a penalty kick was called by the official, resulting in Andrew Sprenger buried the free opportunity past the keeper to make it 1-0 for his 7th goal of the season.

But 5 minutes later, Dylan Merrill took advantage of a rebound to even the score for New Hartford.  

The two would trade corners and opportunities for much of the remainder of the 2nd half, but neither team would allow a tally as overtime would be needed.

New Hartford had the best opportunity in the 1st Overtime, when Will Brooks missed a shot at point blank range, keeping Schalmont's hopes alive.

Those hopes would come to fruition in the 2nd Overtime as a New Hartford opportunity was turned away by Schalmont keeper Aidan Cleveland, launching it in the air to midfield when Schalmont set up their game-winning strike. 

Schalmont Boys Soccer Class A Regional Champions 2024! Onto the State Final Four in Middletown, NY! ⚽️ pic.twitter.com/CtUHWQ6tjK

— Schalmont Sabres (@SchalmontSabres) November 9, 2024

Which allows the magic for the Schalmont Sabres to continue for one more week.