A Last-Second Goal by Dillon Fuchs Lifts Jays Over the Tigers

Posted January 22, 2015 / Last updated January 24, 2015

Jays Play Crusaders on Saturday, Jan. 24, at 1 PM in Gentilly with District Title on the Line

Dillon Fuchs pulls the trigger and scores with seconds left to give the Jays a 1-0 win over Holy Cross on Wednesday evening at John Ryan Stadium.

View the Jesuit – Holy Cross Soccer Photo Gallery

View the Jesuit – Rummel Soccer Photo Gallery

When Jesuit’s Dillon Fuchs put his right foot into the ball, rocketing the shot past the beleaguered Holy Cross goalie, the Wednesday night match between the two rivals was already two minutes into stoppage time and the referee had the whistle to his lips.

Talk about in the nick of time! Talk about what took so long! Talk about going down to the wire!

Jack LaForge can only watch as the Holy Cross goalkeeper snuffs another shot on goal by the Blue Jays.

Fuchs’s goal broke open a scoreless match at John Ryan Stadium and the Jays escaped with a 1-0 win to remain undefeated in district competition. The Jays’ and Tigers’ match grew more intense and physical as the minutes fell off the clock. It seemed that the Jays controlled the ball for at least 78 of the 80 minutes of play. Holy Cross had three not-even-close shots on goal for the entire game, compared to the Jays who took one shot after another. The ball went over the goal, to either side of the goal, hit the crossbar and sidebars. The ball seemed to be everywhere but in the goalmouth.

Credit the Tigers’ goalie who came up with save after save. But in Jesuit soccer, when the Jays shoot and shoot and shoot, eventually the ball is going to find the net. Just over two minutes into stoppage time, with both teams exhausted, Jesuit’s Jack LaForge passed the ball to Fuchs, who dribbled 10 feet, cocked his right foot, and slammed the ball to the left of the goalkeeper, burying it into the back of the Tigers’ net.

As Fuchs later told Craig Malveaux, a reporter for the N.O. Advocate: “I saw his eyes shift right and his body contort a bit, so I tried to slide it the opposite way to make a save much more challenging. There’s immense pressure, especially with the match on the line and me one-on-one with the keeper, but I tried to suppress everything and not overthink the shot.”

The match continued for another frantic minute and ended only after the Tigers were given a free kick from some 25 yards out. It was a good ball the Tiger hit, but Blue Jay goalie Otto Candies had a firm grip on it and the ref blew the whistle to end the match.

The first match earlier this month between the Jays and Tigers ended in the same score. Jesuit was coming off a 1-0 win over Archbishop Rummel last Saturday.

Jesuit’s overall record is 14-4-3 (in-state 14-0-3; district 6-0-1). The Jays close out district play — with a district title on the line — against Brother Martin on Saturday, Jan. 24. Kickoff has been pushed back to 1 p.m. (from its original scheduled starting time of noon) at Farley Field in Gentilly. Admission is free for Jesuit students with the school ID. Adults (and students from other schools) pay $5; children ages 6-11 pay $3; under 6 is still free.

Nola.com: Jesuit’s Dillon Fuchs scores to beat Holy Cross 1-0 in final two minutes

Galleries

Soccer 2014-15: JHS (1) vs Holy Cross (0); John Ryan Stadium, January 21

Jack LaForge heads the ball near the Tigers' goal in the early minutes of the match.
Chase Rushing is prepared to knock the ball in if the Holy Cross goalkeeper fumbles. Neither happened on this play.
Patrick LaCour knows he missed a gimmee.
Reid Detillier waits patiently for the ball to fall.
Dillon Fuchs takes off after the ball, oblivious to the Tiger defender at his side.
Patrick LaCour slows down play, but not on his own volition,
Hunt Navar dribbles into Tiger traffic.
Jack LaForge can only watch as the Holy Cross goalkeeper snuffs another shot on goal by the Blue Jays.
Chase Rushing takes flight to avoid the Tigers' goalkeeper.
José Aleman (left) and Patrick LaCour flank the Tigers' goalie, who makes another save.
Chris Pitre battles for the ball.
Dillon Fuchs pulls the trigger and scores with seconds left to give the Jays a 1-0 win over Holy Cross.
The agony, on the face of the Tiger defender, and the ectasy, exhibited by Jesuit striker Dillon Fuchs, whose goal in the waning seconds secured a victory for the Jays.
Dillon Fuchs is mobbed by teammates Braden Brignac (26), Patrick LaCour, and José Aleman (9) at midfield following his goal with seconds to spare in stoppage time.
The Tigers have one final chance to score on a free kick from some 30 yards out. Jesuit goalie Otto Candies grabs the ball and the whistle sounds to end the match.
Parents and grandparents of Blue Jay players give the boys a standing ovation. The Jays play the Crusaders in the final district match of the season Saturday, Jan. 24. Kickoff is at 1 p.m. at Brother Martin's Farley Field.