Confer Leads Wildcats’ Comeback Win in Overtime
MILL HALL-The Central Mountain boys soccer team delivered a thrilling comeback Thursday night, rallying from two goals down to defeat Northumberland Christian 3-2 in overtime. Senior captain Griffin Confer led the charge with two goals and an assist.
Northumberland Christian entered the contest undefeated at 5-0, having scored 37 goals on the season, and looked poised to extend its dominance. The visitors struck once in the first half and again early in the second, putting the Wildcats in a 2-0 hole.
Confer provided the spark in the 63rd minute, drilling a free kick to cut the deficit in half. Just five minutes later, senior Tim Brinker played a quick free kick to Confer, who ripped home the equalizer to make it 2-2. Both sides pushed for a winner in regulation, but the match went into extra time.
In the first overtime, Confer returned the favor. He set up Brinker for the golden goal, sealing the Wildcats’ comeback victory.
Goalkeeper Jaggar Pardoe earned the win, backed by a defensive unit anchored by seniors Nolan Cross and Kullen McDermit in the center, with juniors Tommy Croce and Cam Counsil and sophomore Collin Confer stepping up on the outside.
The midfield trio of Confer, Cole Cooper, and Che McAllister controlled the flow throughout the night. Cooper played all 85 minutes, excelling in both defense and transition play.
On the season, Confer now has three goals and four assists, while Brinker leads the team with four goals to go with three assists.
With the win, Central Mountain improved to 4-1. The Wildcats will host District 6 Class 4A powerhouse State College on Saturday.
