Columbus: Some of the biggest successes come from a brief setback.
That’s why no one should be stunned if the Revere boys soccer team raises the trophy next season as a Division II state champion.
It took Kettering Archbishop Alter almost 100 minutes on Sunday to figure out the Minutemen puzzle before Ty Borton lifted the Knights in double overtime with a golden goal in a 1-0 win.
Before that, Revere (16-4-3) played every bit the role of state champion.
“Now knowing what it looks like for them to win it, I want my own,” Minutemen junior forward Zack Kasson said. “I’m going to work extra hard. We’ll be back and we’ll work extra hard for the team to come back here hopefully.”
Passion and motivation were never an issue against Alter (21-1-2) as the Minutemen took everything the Knights gave them and more.
The Minutemen fought off cramping and fatigue to stand toe-to-toe with a team that outshot them 17-2.
It wasn’t until Scott Beinlich sent a through ball from midfield to a streaking Borton down the right side of the box that Revere fell with 10:24 remaining in the second overtime.
“Obviously, we were very close to winning,” junior keeper Charlie Fink said. “The margin between us is one goal. With me being the one who it got past, the difference was two inches between winning and losing this game. We’ll definitely remember this moment.”
Fink should never forget it as he was a big reason the Minutemen were there.
A keeper with five postseason shutouts, he came up with one incredible save after another, stopping 16 shots, many of them from point-blank range.
“He’s just a very special mix,” Revere coach Nick DePompei said. “He’s physically gifted. His technique now is great. He has really gotten it together.”
A team that finished third in the Suburban League-American Conference behind Copley and Aurora, Revere put together a run few will ever forget.
Alter walks away as one of six schools to have both its boys and girls win state titles. Cincinnati Summit Country Day did it in 2015, Walsh Jesuit in 2006, Columbus DeSales in 1997, Clayton Northmont in 1988 and Cincinnati Turpin in 1986.
The Minutemen go home knowing they very well could be back at MAPFRE Stadium next November.
The proof is in the fact Revere snapped Celina’s 20-game winning streak to get to the state final.
Add to that, Kasson, the Minutemen’s leading scorer, will be back as well as their No. 2 leader, Sal Milazzo.
Fink will be back in goal as well.
Bryce Harding, Matthew Giltner, Zane Van Fossen, Joel Harding, Nathan Albert and Constantine Papas exit with the runner-up trophy, but the bulk of a team that finished unbeaten in 12 of its past 13 games will no doubt be the kick-start Revere needs.
“This year was an incredible year,” Van Fossen said. “They really stepped up. If they really step up next year and they get all their guys underneath them to step up, they’ll get back here and I guarantee they’ll get a win.”