Corder scores as Pilots end Cubs' run

Warren De La Salle forward Andrew Corder scored the winning goal with 8:32 remaining in the second overtime period to send the Pilots past Detroit U-D Jesuit 2-1. The victory in the Division 2 regional semifinal on Tuesday eliminated the Cubs from the postseason and kept the Pilots alive for a shot at the regional title.

The match required two extra periods to decide. Vasco Marra opened the scoring for U-D Jesuit with 4:30 left in the first half. Rivard Nilaj equalized for De La Salle with 4:30 remaining in that same half. Neither side could find the net during the second half of regulation or the first overtime, forcing the contest into a second extra period.

Corder has finished with 29 goals this season, contributing to an 18-3-4 record for the Pilots. Coach Thaier Mukhtar said he asked Corder to find a burst of energy before the final extra period. Corder acknowledged he was exhausted but noted that he saw an opening after beating a defender. He took the shot and scored.

De La Salle played with 10 players for the final 6:18 of the second overtime after Settimo Leone received his second yellow card. Despite the numerical disadvantage, the Pilots held their lead. Mukhtar credited defenders Tanner Mahaffey, Kayden Risch, and Nilaj for their performance, stating that the energy level increased when the team was a man down.

U-D Jesuit finished the season with a 13-5-5 record. Coach Aaron Pfeil said the teams had met multiple times that year, resulting in two wins and two ties for the Cubs. Pfeil noted that the loss came down to a mistake at the end of the game. He acknowledged the difficulty of playing a familiar opponent three times in a season.

The Pilots will face Dearborn Divine Child in the regional championship match at 6 p.m. Thursday. Divine Child defeated tournament host New Boston Huron 2-1 in overtime in the other semifinal. Corder described the matchup with Jesuit as a close contest where finishing chances determined the outcome. He said the Pilots finished their opportunities while the Cubs did not.

Mukhtar compared the two teams to chess pieces, citing the quality of their key players. He named Marra and goalkeeper Owen Bishop as standouts for U-D Jesuit, and paired them against Corder and goalkeeper Dominic Baldarotta for De La Salle. The Pilots have beaten the Cubs in the playoffs in each of the last two seasons.