The youngest player on the Cariboo Hill senior boys' soccer team had the heaviest responsibility in a 2-1 shootout victory over Okanagan Mission on Tuesday.
Grad 9 student James Szabo slotted home the game-winning penalty shot to give the Chargers its first-ever appearance in a B.C. high school soccer final.
"It was the scariest and happiest moment of my life," said the Cariboo 14-year-old. "I didn't want to go. When I saw everyone score, I said to myself, 'I don't want to go.'"
The two teams played through regulation time and two periods of overtime before finishing with a 1-1 draw. Justin Dhaliwal scored Cariboo Hill's lone tally.
In the shootout, all five shooters from both teams had found the back of the net, including Cariboo keeper Juggi Dosanjh who tied the shootout score 4-4.
However, OK Mission's sixth shooter skied his attempt from the penalty spot over the bar, setting the stage for Szabo's history-making strike.
The u-15 Burnaby Select made no mistake, slicing a hard strike by the Okanagan keeper.
"I know our team is good enough to win," said Szabo.
The Chargers will play either zone winner Windsor, 1-0 winners over Cariboo Hill in earlier B.C. qualifying, or Glenlyon Norfolk in the provincial gold-medal final. Game time is noon at Burnaby Lake Sports Complex-West.
