Sapna’s brace lifts Seahawks out of Jaguars’ claws

Two things more intense than the Sept. 16 rainstorm were the boys’ soccer teams from Sussex Academy and Appoquinimink, which battled into an overtime game won 2-1 by the Seahawks.

Senior George Sapna scored the game-winner – his second goal of the game – in the closing minute of the first overtime period. It was redemption for the captain.

“I had two headers in the beginning of the game, and I knew that,” Sapna said. “On the third one, I told Bodhi [Williams] right before he hit it, ‘You got to put it on my head,’ and that's what he did.”

The game ended on a bright spot for Sussex Academy, but the lads had to navigate a physical storm and a mental storm on the pitch. Each team had its chances in the opening 40 minutes, but the backlines stood strong and the teams went into the break scoreless.

“They definitely have a couple good players; they were a tough opponent,” said Sapna. “They're big. They play like a typical D1 team would play, and I think we adjusted well. I think our back line did very well in defending that.”

Theoretical lightning struck in the opening seconds of the second half when Gabriel Arbeut converted a penalty kick to give Appoquinimink a 1-0 lead. Coach R.J. Dina trusted his boys to produce the required response.

“As soon as we give up the goal, they brought it together. They had a few words and they quite literally weather the storm until they could find a way to just battle a little bit to get one and even the game,” Dina said. “It's toss up from there.” 

Dina recalled a time in Virginia last year following a loss when his guys did not regroup following a lead-changing goal. He told that group, many of them seniors this year, that when the whistle blows, the game is in their hands as a group, and it is their responsibility to self-correct in those moments.

“We're used to it. We're conditioned to it at this point,” Sapna said. “We just huddled, got our minds right, and then went again.”

Perseverance paid off when Chase Ballinger fought hard for possession and was fouled by the Jaguars’ keeper in the box to earn a penalty. Sapna knotted the game with his third successful goal from the spot in the last two games.

Sussex Academy held strong to close out regulation and force the extra period. Appo had the first few chances in overtime, but in the closing moments, it was the IQ of sophomore Bodhi Williams that played a major role. Williams was instructed to go short on the corner kick, but Sapna knew he was close and Williams’ intuition told him to bring out the keeper on his service into the box.

“We had one in the first half that hit the crossbar, so he got up and won another one,” Williams said.

The sophomore noted just how passionate the response was from the fellas as they raced toward the student section and each other. It wasn’t just that they didn’t lose; it was that they came out on top that made the post-game festivities what they were.