Sussex Academy wins in penalty kicks, repeats as soccer champions

DOVER, Del. – Sussex Academy defeated St. Andrew’s, 3-2, in penalty kicks to repeat as DIAA division-II state boys soccer champions.

The two teams spent the first half throwing jabs, with hardly any opportunities to put the ball in the net.

A flurry of action came about after halftime when the Seahawks’ Andres Romero-Nieto headed a ball into the netting to break the scoreless deadlock.

Just minutes later, a foul was committed by SAS in their box resulting in a penalty kick. Gabriel Musa blasted his shot by the Seahawk keeper, CJ Norton, for the game-tying score.

The game eventually needed to go to penalty kicks where an unlikely hero emerged.

Following the third penalty kick by St. Andrew’s Norton received a yellow card and had to sit out for one round. In stepped back-up, and Norton’s protégée, junior Austin Taylor.

Taylor calmly dove to his left to make the second SAS stop in PKs.

“I knew full-well he was making that save. I told him exactly where to dive and he did it,” Norton said of Taylor’s save.

“I just had to step up and do what’s best for the team,” Austin said after the game. “It was truly special, a moment I’ll never forget in my career.”

“He’s been ice-cold,” head coach RJ Dina said of Taylor.

Norton made one final stop in the fifth round of penalty kicks, sealing the Seahawks’ second championship.