MORROW, Ga. – In what will go down as one of the classics in the history of Peach Belt Conference men's soccer tournament championships, Clayton State rallied for a 3-2 victory over Lander on Sunday afternoon when PBC Freshman of the Year Jamal Geathers scored the game-winning goal in the 102nd minute.
The 19th-ranked Bearcats, who led 2-0 in the second half, fell to 13-4-3. They will await the NCAA Tournament field announcement set for Monday afternoon at 5 p.m. Lander is likely headed to the NCAA Southeast Regional and could wind up facing Clayton State yet again next weekend. The Regional will likely be held at Lees-McRae in Banner Elk, N.C.
The PBC tournament championship is the second in the last three seasons for 14th-ranked Clayton State, and the third overall for the Lakers in program history. The victory also improved Clayton State to 14-3-3 overall, the most victories in a season for the Lakers since winning 18 games in the 2000 season. Lander was the PBC champion last year.
It was the fifth overtime championship game in the history of the PBC men's soccer tournament, which was first played in 1991.
Freshman Aaron Brittain scored on a breakaway goal off an assist from Jamie Davison in the 62nd minute to give the Bearcats a 2-0 lead. However, three minutes later, Clayton State was back in the game when Geathers scored on a header off a left cross from Hailab Habtom.
It stayed 2-1 until the 79th minute when PBC co-Player of the Year Tonny Madegwa tied the match on a header in front of the goal off Jarrid Nicholson's corner kick.
The game went into the second overtime session when Geathers struck again. The flashy forward stole a Bearcat clear pass in the middle of the field and hammered home the game-winner from 35-yards out.
Lander took a 1-0 lead six minutes into the contest when Jamie Ramm scored on a header in front of the goal off Davison's corner kick.
Clayton State goalkeeper Billy Hale recorded two saves, while Garrett Daum recorded two as well for Lander. Clayton State out-shot Lander 14-9.
Madegwa was selected the tournament Most Valuable Player for Clayton State, and was joined on the All-Tournament team by teammates Geathers, Nicholson and Hale. Lander's All-Tournament team selections were Brittain, Ramm and defender Ryan Thorman. Together, these seven players were added to the rest of the All-Tournament, which consisted of Derek Schicker, (Georgia Southwestern), Adam Lambert (USC Aiken), Kyle Clinton (Francis Marion), Steve Locker (UNC Pembroke), Thomas Morrow (UNC Pembroke), Brandon Kirksey (North Georgia) and Jose Herrera (North Georgia).
