MANDEVILLE, La. (WGNO) — Mandeville rallied to defeat Jesuit 2-1 in the LHSAA Division I state soccer quarterfinals at Sidney Theriot Stadium on Tuesday.
Skippers trailed the Jays 1-nil in the 14th minute after Jacques Broussard scored on the rebound of a blocked Carter Dusang shot.
Mandeville tied it in the 22nd minute when Merritt Sweeney split two defenders to punch in the goal.
Skippers goalkeeper Gabe Minken was under pressure all night but held the Jays to one goal.
In the end, a corner kick from Kota Henry finds the foot of Skippers’ senior captain Dom Zapata for the eventual game-winner.
First-year Mandeville head coach Curt Aertker praised his team’s win.
“We had a losing record last year, 10-11-4. Now we are 27-4-5,” Aertker told WGNO Sports. “Changing the culture, believing in ourselves. Working hard, teaching a different style of game, but anything and everything begins with perfect effort. That’s our motto, the foundation of our program.
“Once, we cross this line and enter play, there is no excuse for being outworked,” he continued. “I don’t mind losing to a better team, but we won’t tolerate being outhustled and outcompeted, and the boys are buying into that system.”
Last year, Mandeville lost to Captain Shreve 6-2 in the first round of the playoffs.
And with the win over Jesuit, the Skippers advance to face St. Paul’s in the semifinals.
The Skippers advance to the semifinals to play St. Paul’s Catholic.
