Brentwood vs Whitman

HIGHLIGHTS

Brentwood boys soccer coach Ron Eden gave his team the ultimate challenge as it trailed Whitman by two goals at halftime on Saturday. " 'The difference between this year's team and last year's [2019 state championship] team is that they would come out and win this game,' " said Eden to his club. " 'We have yet to see you come out and do that.' " Well, he has now. Juan Gomez, who assisted the tying goal in regulation, scored off a header on an assist from Tony Vigil with about two minutes left in the first overtime, as visiting Brentwood clawed back from a two-goal hole and earned a 3-2 overtime victory in Suffolk League I. Gomez is one of the point leaders in the league with nine goals and 11 assists according to Eden. "The bigger the game, the better he plays," Eden said of Gomez. "He comes to play and always gives 100 percent. . . . He's just a special player." Richard Morel scored in the 11th minute and Sebastian Koch added a goal in the 21st minute as Whitman (5-2) jumped out to an early 2-0 lead with the wind at its back in the first half. But Brentwood was far from through. David Akpan assisted Elvis Lopez in the 51st minute, and Gomez set up Adrian Vides for the equalizer in the 63rd minute. Brentwood (8-1) is loaded with talent, but Eden knows why his team has been successful this season. He noted senior defenders Kelbis Moreno and Marlon Hernandez, and senior midfielder Jordan "JJ" Julien. "All three of those guys have done so much work for us," he said. "We wouldn't be the team that we are now without them. "I'm happy for those guys doing their roles effectively. They don't get the credit that they deserve. They do all the dirty work for everybody else."