Despite holding a sizeable advantage in shots on goal and corner kicks, Wheaton Academy trailed 3-1 with roughly 20 minutes left in its Class 2A sectional semifinal against Harvard on Tuesday night.

A defensive breakdown on the Wheaton Academy side created wide-open space for Harvard’s Jesus Aquino, who blasted a shot past Warrior keeper Jared Jardis during the 60th minute to give the Hornets a two-goal lead. The No. 1 seed in its subsectional, Wheaton Academy found itself on the brink of elimination as the Warriors fought to keep their season alive.

That’s when senior Luke Rodriguez and the Wheaton Academy offense came alive. Capitalizing on their superior size, the Warriors scored from inside the box during the 61st and 63rd minutes. Shortly after, senior Gabe Stein-Rodriguez fed a

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