“My brain wasn’t working,” Borton said after scoring the lone goal of the Division II state boys soccer tournament with 10:24 remaining in the second overtime to give the Knights a 1-0 win over Richfield Revere.
“I looked at our student section and just collapsed. I couldn’t believe what had just happened.”
Rueth, the All-Ohio linebacker for the Knights football team and starting keeper, could believe what he watched unfold on the jumbotron as Borton made his run.
“He’s the fastest guy on the team, and it was surreal watching it on the scoreboard,” Rueth said. “The only thing that came to my mind was I needed to run down there and celebrate with the team. It was pure joy.”
The win capped off the double for the Alter soccer programs. With the boys team in attendance, the girls claimed the Division II title on Saturday with a 3-0 win over Chagrin Falls. The boys title was the fourth for the program and made Alter the sixth school to claim both titles in the same year.
“(Saturday) hyped me up so much for (Sunday),” Borton said. “Sitting there looking at the pitch and seeing them dominate the way they did. This was definitely a big thing for us.”
The Knights outshot Richfield Revere (15-4-3) 17-2, finally finding the back of the net when Borton took a long feed from Scott Beinlich, beat Revere defender Tyler Ebbert and broke in alone on keeper Charlie Fink.
Borton lured Fink off his line and slid the ball back across his body and inside the far post to set off the celebration.
“I knew I beat the outside back on the run,” Borton said. “I just wanted to put everything into one last run.”
One last run ended what had been a “really frustrating” day, according to Borton. He had two close shot attempts in the first half that just missed finding the back of the net and a quick heal-flick of a shot off a corner kick that was turned away with a diving save in the second half.
The secret, according to Alter coach Bob Ellis, was to keep firing.
“We told them to just get wide and one will finally go,” Ellis said. “It was one of those types of games where we worked hard and we had a lot of great opportunities and Ty beat the guy inside and the last one they couldn’t save.”
Rueth didn’t have to make a save through regulation before finally hauling in a couple long-range shot attempts in the first overtime. What possible opportunities the Minutemen had, Rueth cleared a path and grabbed the cross before a shot had a chance to take place.
The gold medal around Reuth’s neck was the end of a perfect weekend.
“This has been a blast,” Rueth said. “We (the football team) shut out Clinton-Massie for the first time since 2006 Friday, Saturday I watched the girls absolutely dominate and we won (Sunday). I couldn’t ask for anything more… on to football. Three to go.”
Ellis stood back in the moment and took in smiling. The smile changed a little when his wife pointed one item out.
“This is exactly 20 years after I won my first one,” Ellis said. “At 71 to win my fourth and all I have experienced has been really good. I know there isn’t another 20 years left, but I haven’t turned the corner to where I am ready to go anywhere yet either.”
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