Team wins soccer playoff match with 50 penalty kicks

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A two-day old high school soccer playoff match between Bishop’s of La Jolla and San Diego Crawford in the San Diego Section finally ended Wednesday afternoon when Matt Harris scored on the game’s 49th penalty kick, giving Bishop’s the victory when Crawford missed a final try.

The Division 4 playoff match began on Tuesday and was halted because of darkness after 21 rounds of penalty kicks. Regulation had ended in a 3-3 tie.

The coaches wanted to start the game from the beginning on Wednesday, but Bishop’s Coach Malcolm Tovey said the San Diego Section decided to resume the match from where it left off when darkness forced the halt.

‘I think all of us were so nervous after every [penalty] kick,’ Harris said. ‘Any kick could have been the end. All of us were holding our breath.’

There was so much drama and excitement over the two days.

‘It was unbelievable,’ Tovey said.

Added Harris: ‘It was definitely something I’ve never heard of or experienced before.’

-- Eric Sondheimer