Heidelberg's Nate Joyner, left, tries to stop Ramstein's Dan Whitney in second-half action of the boys Division I soccer final at Ramstein Friday night. Heidelberg won the title 3-1 in a shootout. (Michael Abrams / S&S)
Heidelberg's Nate Joyner, left, tries to stop Ramstein's Dan Whitney in second-half action of the boys Division I soccer final at Ramstein Friday night. Heidelberg won the title 3-1 in a shootout. (Michael Abrams / S&S)
Heidelberg goalie Zach Herrington, in the red jersey, is stormed by his teammates after he stopped three Ramstein attempts in a shootout after the Division I boys final was tied 0-0 after regulation and overtime. Heidelberg won the shootout, 3-1. (Michael Abrams / S&S)
RAMSTEIN AIR BASE, Germany — The calmest player on the field sent everyone else into emotional extremes Friday night as Heidelberg won the European boys Division I soccer championship with a 3-1 shootout victory over Ramstein.
"I look at how they line up," Heidelberg freshman goalkeeper Zach Harrington said matter-of-factly of the technique he used to save three straight Ramstein penalty kicks and propel the Lions to victory. "I watch their hips."
Harrington spoke as his teammates, who mobbed him after he had made his third save to clinch the shootout, came by for individual embraces.
"This was his best game of the year," Heidelberg assistant coach Sven Stadtrecher said as he bear-hugged his keeper, who allowed just one goal during the regular season and two in the postseason. "He won the game. He’s been like that all year."
Harrington, who had been called on to make just four saves in the 100 minutes of scoreless play that preceded Friday’s shootout, was subjected to additional pressure when Ramstein keeper Blake Langford saved Heidelberg’s first shot.
"I thought we had won the game," Langford said. "You can’t ask for more than to stop the first try of a shootout."
That belief became stronger moments later, when Ramstein’s Glenn Verley ripped a shot inside the right post for a 1-0 lead.
But things began to change when tourney MVP Kevin Beerman put the equalizer inside the left post despite some severe jitters. "I honestly thought I was going to be sick," Beerman said.
Harrington then made his first save. Langford answered with an apparent save on a try by Gavin Grantham, but the referee ruled Langford had left his line early and awarded Grantham a second shot. This time Grantham scored to put Heidelberg up to stay.
Harrington saved the next two Ramstein tries, and Heidelberg’s Jon Hoffman toed home the goal that clinched Heidelberg’s 12th European title since 1994.
The shot also ended an ill-mannered 100 minutes of soccer between these intense rivals. Ramstein drew two yellow cards, but Heidelberg saw that and raised with three yellows and a red card.
"Ramstein is our toughest opponent," Beerman said. "We beat them during the season here and we were down a man both times. It’s a great feeling."
Heidelberg coach Perry Puppolo, a former assistant who completed his first year as head coach 12-0-0, said the victory was a case of mission accomplished. So far.
"We’ve been trying to instill the Heidelberg spirit and competitiveness into a new group of players," Puppolo said. "Next year, we’ll try to do it even more."
