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Eamon Neal can be forgiven for using some colourful language.
Published May 14, 2026 • Last updated 2 hours ago • 3 minute read
The Assumption College Lions captured the AABHN North Division boys varsity soccer title Thursday at the North Park Sports Complex. The Lions outlasted the St. John’s Green Eagles, recording a 1-0 shootout victory. Photo by Jacob RobinsonArticle content
Eamon Neal can be forgiven for using some colourful language.
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It’s not every year you score the goal that gives your team an AABHN title.
“I knew if there was anyone who was going to take the last kick of the year, I wanted to do it,” said Neal, the Assumption College senior, following his team’s 1-0 shootout victory over St. John’s in the AABHN North Division varsity boys soccer final on Thursday.
In what could’ve been his final play as a Lions midfielder, Neal capped off Assumption’s five-for-five shootout effort to top the defending champion Green Eagles, who went three-for-four at the Bisons Alumni North Park Sports Complex.
“I slotted it, and the amount of cussing coming out of my mouth celebrating is something I’m not proud of,” Neal said with a sly grin. “I’m sure there are a few parents here thinking my mom should do a better job, but shoutout to mom, best mom ever.”
In one of the most intense games of the season, the undefeated Eagles (6-0-0) fired chance after chance at Lions keeper Greyson Vanderwal for 110 minutes but came up empty-handed.
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“They easily had 35 shots, I see the whole pitch,” Neal recalled. “They have great players , …but Grayson is there every time. Outstanding game from him, we needed it.”
The Green Eagles averaged over five goals per game in the regular season (32 in six outings), and looked to have drawn first blood in the 11th minute when Peter DeProsperis netted his own rebound. However, the play was called for offside.
From there, both teams dug in, refusing to blink first.
Though much lower scoring than last year’s final, a 5-5 thriller that saw St. John’s emerge in the shootout, this one was just as exciting.
“Every time it’s St. John’s versus Assumption, I think both sides know what they’re going to get,” said Green Eagles coach Jeff Olmstead, whose team topped the Lions 4-1 on April 29.
“We had a great game with them in the regular season, and this was one of those coin flips that we didn’t come out on top of, unfortunately.”
“We’ve got a lot of guys who aren’t returning because it’s their last year, and I’m gutted for them that we couldn’t close this out, but a lot of positives on the season,” Olmstead continued. “I’m super proud of these guys.”
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The Green Eagles may have claimed the majority of possession during the contest, but the Lions stayed calm and pushed harder as the game went on.
“We knew St. John’s was going to be a very attacking team, we play more defensive,” said Vanderwal. “They have all these guys ready to score, but everybody did their job on defence. It was an amazing effort from everybody.”
St. John’s missed its first penalty attempt, leaving the door open for the Lions to pounce. Donavan Renn, Ethan Petrella, Ashur Georgees, and Matthew Gustof were all successful, leaving the final duties to Neal, who was up to the task of sending ACS to the CWOSSA AAA tournament.
“If I’m the one who sends my team out and St. John’s goes to CWOSSA, it’s on me, and that’s fine; it’s a burden to hold and no issue,” he said. “I’ve taken four or five (penalties) all year, same spot, they haven’t been saved. As a matter of fact, the keeper hasn’t even gone the right way.”
Even before being selected to shoot, Neal knew his strategy.
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“I looked him dead in his eyes, and he shifted a little to the right,” Neal said of Green Eagles goalie Parker Berry. “He’s trying to get in my head, you can’t get in my head because I’m not even in there.”
The win was sweet redemption after the Lions lost last year’s winner-take-all contest to the Lions in a similar fashion.
“Last year was a devastating game to work so hard and not be able to finish it,” Vanderwal admitted. “We carried that loss and turned it into excitement. We turned it into an amazing effort from everybody.”
ACS will now wait to play in the CWOSSA AAA event taking place May 26 and 27 in Cambridge.
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