Being a goalkeeper can be a lonely and unpredictable existence. Based on what is happening on the rest of the field, it can be one of a bored onlooker. Or it can be one in which a game’s outcome is determined by how a goalkeeper responds in a matter of seconds.

It’s an indispensable position. Tuesday’s key District 28-6A contests between Johnson and Reagan displayed as much.

Addie Brown and Ryan Palmer each came up big when pressed into service and paced Johnson to a sweep of Reagan at Comalander Stadium.

Johnson won the girls encounter 3-0, while the Johnson boys claimed a 3-1 decision. The results pushed both squads a step closer to securing a district title.

In the opening game of the 15th annual Ian’s Cup — played in honor of Ian Fincke, who attended and played soccer at both schools and died in October 2008 from a traumatic brain injury sustained during a skateboarding accident — the tone for the night was quickly established.

Three minutes into the contest, Brown made a lunging, one-handed save on a header by Reagan sophomore Kate Salazar off a corner kick that would’ve been a sure goal.

“The first goal always dictates who has the momentum, so if they had scored that, the game could’ve looked completely different,” Brown said.

Instead, things turned out the way they’ve had for the majority of the season for Johnson (18-1, 13-0). Senior Mabry Williams and junior Camila Palacios provided the offense, senior Ashlyn DiGioia controlled the midfield and the back line of Krista Perez, Molly Holland, Riley Surratt and Kelly Franks conceded little ground to Reagan (16-2-1, 10-2-1).

“Once you get into the game, we have to settle down and be confident — that was a big thing,” said DiGioia, who is signed with Division I Pacific in California. “Because it’s a rivalry, there’s a lot of tension. Just bringing the tension down to where we can play normally was a big focus for us this game.”

Johnson netted the game-winner 5 1/2 minutes after Brown’s spectacular save when Palacios ran onto a pinpoint pass from DiGioia and slotted a shot to the right post. Williams, who is signed with Oklahoma State, scored two goals in 11 minutes late in the first half.

Williams’ first goal came in the 23rd minute, with Franks collecting the rebound of a shot by Palacios that hit off the crossbar and dropping off a pass to a wide-open Williams. The other score came with six minutes left in the first half when freshman Jordin Trimble made a run down the left sideline and laid off a pass to Williams, who eluded a defender and deposited a shot into the right corner.

“Based on our past, and what we’ve done this season, this is by far the best we have played consistency,” DiGioia said. “We have a lot of hopes to be getting into the fourth round, fifth round, as far as we can. We have the personnel, and everybody here is together.”

In the nightcap, the Johnson boys also showed their camaraderie to escape a trying moment and record their first victory vs. Reagan since a 2-1 triumph on Jan. 29, 2019.

Leading 2-0 in the waning minutes of the first half, things took a turn. Johnson’s starting goalkeeper Andrew Laplaca was given a red card when he fouled a Reagan attacker. Laplaca was sent off because he was the last line of defense, and the foul occurred outside the penalty area and denied a goal-scoring opportunity.

Palmer came on for Laplaca and helped Johnson get through a crazy sequence that saw him get a hand on a free kick, pushing it off the crossbar, and saving a follow-up attempt from point-blank range.

“I had to come in with the mindset of I’ve been here, I’ve done this, I’ve played in these scenarios before and I just have to trust myself,” Palmer said. “It really boosted my confidence.”

The Jaguars (13-4-3, 10-0-3) also got a surge from Palmer’s effort. It sustained them as they played the final 49 minutes down a player.

Johnson extended their advantage to 3-0 only eight minutes into the second half when Imani Watkins and Diego Robles worked a give-and-go and Watkins slotted in a pass from Robles, who is signed with Incarnate Word and scored only seven minutes into the game to give his team a 1-0 lead. Rodolfo Galvan converted on a first-half penalty kick for Johnson’s other goal.

“I’m asking my boys to dig and to just give me everything they got to finish,” Johnson coach David Johnson said after the red-card ejection. “If (Reagan) would’ve hit that free kick right there, momentum changes. We come out and get the third goal, and I think that was really the icing.”

Reagan (9-5-5, 7-2-4) avoided being shut out when Bernardo Gordoa scored with five minutes left.

terrence@terrencesports.com
Twitter: @sa_terrence1