De La Salle senior goalkeeper Jahir Anaya had waited 12 months to atone for the mistake he felt cost his team a state championship.
Anaya was suspended for last year’s Class 2A state title game because he received a red card for taunting opposing fans following the Meteors’ semifinal victory over Prairie Ridge. He could only watch as De La Salle lost to Belleville Althoff 3-2 in overtime.
“I felt like it was my fault last year,” Anaya said. “I made a bad decision.
“Throughout the whole process of workouts and practices and being with my teammates and coaches helped me a lot to discover who I am as a man and a person. It helped me realize that what I was doing was wrong.
“In order to win a state championship with my teammates, I had to change something about myself and it wasn’t about my game. It was more about who I was as a person.”
A more mature Anaya demonstrated he had learned his tough lesson, while his goalkeeping skills remained top-notch, on Saturday. He saved two penalty kicks in the shootout to help De La Salle edge downstate Washington 2-1 for the Class 2A state title at Hoffman Estates.
It is the first state championship in any sport for the Meteors (25-3-1), who won their first soccer trophy last season.
“He’s grown up a lot,” De La Salle coach Francisco Martinez said. “You hear it in his voice. His confidence is there.
“When I met the young man, I knew that we have something special here. To have a goalie that plays at that level, there’s not too many of them. I think it takes a little crazy, too, to be a goalie and he’s got it. Not in a bad way, but a good way.”
Senior forward Alex Panduro notched his 38th goal of the season when he stole the ball from Washington goalkeeper and scored on an empty net to give the Meteors a 1-0 lead with 32:07 left in the first half. Washington (29-2-1) tied it on John Clift’s goal 18 minutes later.
Neither team could gain traction in the rain after that.
“Coach was telling us in the second half of overtime they want to take it to penalties,” Anaya said. “I said, ‘Coach, let them take it. You’ve all got me, so don’t worry about it.’”
Martinez didn’t worry.
“You don’t want it to get there,” Martinez said of the shootout. “But you also know you have the talent to be able to win the game.”
Anaya set the stage when he stopped Washington’s first shooter.
“Making that first save and hearing the pop of the crowd, hearing them chant my name, it meant the world,” Anaya said. “Knowing my parents were up there listening to it, I just bet they’re so proud of me now.”
Anaya also stopped Washington’s third attempt. Christian Flores, Fidel Orozco and Cesar Solano converted for the Meteors, who won the shootout 3-2 when Washington’s fifth shooter hit the crossbar.
“Everybody had joy in their faces, smiles and tears,” Panduro said. “It was amazing.”
Panduro was happy that Anaya played such a big role in the historic victory.
“I wouldn’t have blamed him (for the loss) last year,” Panduro said. “Yeah, he got the red card but he was just happy we won the game.
“People were being racist toward him, but he matured a lot and he found himself as a man. At the end, when he came up big, that’s when he let all the emotions out.”
Anaya said the emotions were all positive.
“It means a little bit extra on account of last year,” Anaya said. “Doing what I did today and winning this state championship means the world.”