Corder's late surge lifts No. 6 De La Salle past U-D Jesuit

Warren De La Salle coach Thaier Mukhtar approached his star forward Andrew Corder before the second overtime period of the Division 2 regional semifinal against U-D Jesuit.

The Pilots needed a breakthrough, and they found it when Corder scored with 8:32 remaining to secure a 2-1 victory.

Mukhtar recalled the conversation, telling Corder to find a little bit of energy and act as a playmaker who makes a difference. Corder delivered on that request.

The winning goal came moments after the Pilots defended a scoring threat from the Cubs. The ball bounced to Corder, who sprinted down the field to beat the first defender and fire the ball into the net.

Corder described the moment as a sudden surge of energy while exhausted. He noted that beating the first player gave him confidence to see the hole and take the shot.

The result extends Corder's season total to 29 goals, contributing to De La Salle's 18-3-4 record. Mukhtar called the performance evidence of a Mr. Soccer candidate, stating that none of his goals are bigger than this one.

De La Salle will face Dearborn Divine Child for the regional championship at 6 p.m. Thursday. Divine Child won its semifinal 2-1 in overtime against host New Boston Huron.

The matchup between the two Catholic High School League Central Division rivals has been tight recently. U-D Jesuit took the lead 4:30 into the game on a goal by Vasco Marra, but defender Rivard Nilaj tied the match with 4:30 left in the first half.

Both sides managed to keep the score level through regulation and the first overtime thanks to strong defensive play and goalkeeping by Dominic Baldarotta for De La Salle and Owen Bishop for U-D Jesuit.

De La Salle played the final 6:18 of the second overtime with 10 players after Settimo Leone received his second yellow card. Mukhtar praised his defenders, including Tanner Mahaffey and Kayden Risch, for raising their energy level while a man down.

U-D Jesuit coach Aaron Pfeil noted that the two teams know each other well after meeting three times this season. He said the Cubs made a mistake at the end, adding that they lost when it mattered most despite their 13-5-5 record.

Mukhtar described U-D Jesuit as a well-coached team that is hard to play against. He compared the match to a chess game, noting the balance of talent with Marra and Bishop for the Cubs and Corder and Baldarotta for the Pilots.