Gators' Binar turns in mind-boggling effort against Eagles

By News-Argus Staff
Published in Sports on September 18, 2014 1:48 PM

• Print
• Email

ALLEN ETZLER

aetzler@newsargus.com

Otto Binar emerged from the Spring Creek huddle a little choked up, a little emotional and a little shocked.

He couldn't even remember, much less believe what just happened.

After being bottled up in the first half, Binar scored five goals in the second half and overtime to lead the Gators past Carolina 1-A Conference nemesis Rosewood, 5-3, on Wednesday evening.

"I don't know what to say," Binar said. "This was amazing. This was a great team win. We worked so hard after starting out bad."

Rosewood's Ethan Chapin shadowed Binar for the first 40 minutes and hardly allowed him to get a touch on the ball. Meanwhile, Zach Barnes and Stalen Massengill scored first-half goals for the Eagles.

But in the second half, Binar shifted from midfield to forward. His teammates started to spread out the defense and he found just enough space to roam.

Binar scored his first goal in the 57th minute. Then, with three minutes remaining in regulation he shook his defender and the goalkeeper, and tucked away the game-tying goal with ease.

"After that goal I just ran over to my team on the sideline, and I started tearing up," Binar said. "I know how much this win meant."

Binar dominated the extra session, scoring three times and making each one look easy. As Rosewood got desperate for goals toward the end of the match he had more space and less people to beat.

"That's the best player in this conference by far," Rosewood head coach Eddie Maldonado said of Binar. "It's upsetting for two reasons. Because we let a two-goal lead slip away and because we let one player score five goals on us. But when it's a player like that you just have to let it go I guess."

Spring Creek coach Linda Salter said it was great praise to hear from Maldonado about her star midfielder. Salter, however, also struggled to find the words after the game and digest everything that had happened.

"I'm glad he's on my team," Salter said. "I'm going to need more time to take this in. A great team effort when they could have thrown in the towel."

Rosewood (3-3-1 overall, 1-2-1 CC) gave league-leading Spring Creek (7-2-0, 4-0-0) all it could handle. The Eagles used their height and long throwers Bryce McKeel and Ethan Chapin to create scoring opportunities on throw-ins, which gave the smaller Gators fits.

The Eagles had one goal called back and more than five near misses, but couldn't quite capitalize find the net with their sideline plays.

"Throw-ins have been a weapon for us all year," Maldonado said. "We have two guys who can throw it into the goal if they want to. We have some guys with height and that can jump. I mean all those chances you'd think we'd convert one."

The Eagles didn't.

Instead they got their goals in the flow of play, including the final goal being an Ethan Chapin breakaway in extra time after he moved forward to try and get Rosewood back in the game. Barnes had the assist.

Assisting on Binar's goals were Byron Lopez Cabrera (twice), Carlos Ramirez and Govani Avila.

Spring Creek's back line drew praise from Salter for their second-half performance, as they continue to play without their best defender Marcos Casteneda, who is out with a leg injury.

As the teams shook hands, Binar led the Gators back to the huddle clapping and praising the match Rosewood just gave them. The rest of the team joined and congratulated the Eagles on being a worthy opponent.

But on a day when the Eagles were so close, yet so far, it just didn't seem like enough for them.