Freshman Will Hanigan scores overtime winner for Xavier

DES MOINES - Xavier lost a 2-0 lead in the last 10 minutes of regulation, but freshman sensation Will Hanigan scored the game winner in overtime to boost the Saints over defending state champion Norwalk, 3-2.

Xavier (16-2) will play Central DeWitt (19-1) at 2:30 Saturday for the Class 2A title. The Saints are seeking their seventh championship in eight trips to the finals.

The winning goal came as a result of a controversial play. A Norwalk player kicked the ball high in the air, and the keeper caught it. The referee awarded Xavier a direct free kick right to the side of the goal box, ruling that the ball was intentionally directed to the keeper. In that event the keeper isn't allowed to use his hands.

The Warriors disputed the call, saying the player simply shanked the clear-out shot.

'If I was in their coach's position I would have argued too,” Xavier Coach Amir Hadzic said. 'It was kind of 50-50.”

'It was kind of an interesting call,” Xavier's Connor Ramlo said. 'We didn't capitalize on that one, but we did get a corner out of it. Stephen (Jones) played a great ball in, the ball bounced in front of me. I hit it as hard as I could at the goal. It ricocheted a couple times and Will found the back of the net.”

'The ball was deflecting around; Luke Duball kind of flicked it in and I was just standing there and saw an open goal and headed it,” Hanigan said. 'It's lucky but I'll take it.”

Hadzic said his team loaded 'the little box” for the corner kick. 'This is one of our favorite ones; we take the corner kick with the opposite foot right into the goal mouth,” he said. 'We hope somebody taps it in.”

Xavier scored on a Ramlo goal in the 22nd minute when he turned and hooked a grounder into the lower left part of the goal. Hanigan added a second goal in the 46th minute, and it appeared the Saints were home free.

But in the last 10 minutes Xavier defenders Mason Hoxie and Thomas Bean were called for fouls, and Norwalk's Kason Krall and Michael Riordan each converted free kicks into goals.

'It was a little heartbreaking for us,” Ramlo said. 'We thought we were in the driver's seat 2-0. To concede two goals quick like that is kind of disheartening but you can't get your head down because it's golden goal and whoever comes out hot and we were able to do that.

'We wanted to get it as soon as possible. We knew in this heat energy was drained. It's definitely a relief. We wanted to be in the championship game and now we're there.”