Eamon Neal can be forgiven for using some colourful language.<\/p>\n
Published May 14, 2026 \u00a0\u2022\u00a0 Last updated 2\u00a0hours ago \u00a0\u2022\u00a0 3 minute read<\/p>\n
![\"ACS](\"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/ca\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/05\/ACS-Boys-Soccer.jpg\")
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\u2019s Green Eagles, recording a 1-0 shootout victory. Photo by Jacob RobinsonArticle content<\/p>\n
Eamon Neal can be forgiven for using some colourful language.<\/p>\n
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It\u2019s not every year you score the goal that gives your team an AABHN title.<\/p>\n
\u201cI knew if there was anyone who was going to take the last kick of the year, I wanted to do it,\u201d said Neal, the Assumption College senior, following his team\u2019s 1-0 shootout victory over St. John\u2019s in the AABHN North Division varsity boys soccer final on Thursday.<\/p>\n
In what could\u2019ve been his final play as a Lions midfielder, Neal capped off Assumption\u2019s 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. <\/p>\n
\u201cI slotted it, and the amount of cussing coming out of my mouth celebrating is something I\u2019m not proud of,\u201d Neal said with a sly grin. \u201cI\u2019m sure there are a few parents here thinking my mom should do a better job, but shoutout to mom, best mom ever.\u201d <\/p>\n
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.<\/p>\n
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\u201cThey easily had 35 shots, I see the whole pitch,\u201d Neal recalled. \u201cThey have great players , \u2026but Grayson is there every time. Outstanding game from him, we needed it.\u201d <\/p>\n
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. \u00a0<\/p>\n
From there, both teams dug in, refusing to blink first. \u00a0<\/p>\n
Though much lower scoring than last year\u2019s final, a 5-5 thriller that saw St. John\u2019s emerge in the shootout, this one was just as exciting. <\/p>\n
\u201cEvery time it\u2019s St. John\u2019s versus Assumption, I think both sides know what they\u2019re going to get,\u201d said Green Eagles coach Jeff Olmstead, whose team topped the Lions 4-1 on April 29. <\/p>\n
\u201cWe had a great game with them in the regular season, and this was one of those coin flips that we didn\u2019t come out on top of, unfortunately.\u201d <\/p>\n
\u201cWe\u2019ve got a lot of guys who aren\u2019t returning because it\u2019s their last year, and I\u2019m gutted for them that we couldn\u2019t close this out, but a lot of positives on the season,\u201d Olmstead continued. \u201cI\u2019m super proud of these guys.\u201d <\/p>\n
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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.\u00a0<\/p>\n
\u201cWe knew St. John\u2019s was going to be a very attacking team, we play more defensive,\u201d said Vanderwal. \u201cThey have all these guys ready to score, but everybody did their job on defence. It was an amazing effort from everybody.\u201d <\/p>\n
St. John\u2019s 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. <\/p>\n
\u201cIf I\u2019m the one who sends my team out and St. John\u2019s goes to CWOSSA, it\u2019s on me, and that\u2019s fine; it\u2019s a burden to hold and no issue,\u201d he said. \u201cI\u2019ve taken four or five (penalties) all year, same spot, they haven\u2019t been saved. As a matter of fact, the keeper hasn\u2019t even gone the right way.\u201d <\/p>\n
Even before being selected to shoot, Neal knew his strategy.<\/p>\n
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\u201cI looked him dead in his eyes, and he shifted a little to the right,\u201d Neal said of Green Eagles goalie Parker Berry. \u00a0\u201cHe\u2019s trying to get in my head, you can\u2019t get in my head because I\u2019m not even in there.\u201d<\/p>\n
The win was sweet redemption after the Lions lost last year\u2019s winner-take-all contest to the Lions in a similar fashion. <\/p>\n
\u201cLast year was a devastating game to work so hard and not be able to finish it,\u201d Vanderwal admitted. \u201cWe carried that loss and turned it into excitement. We turned it into an amazing effort from everybody.\u201d<\/p>\n
ACS will now wait to play in the CWOSSA AAA event taking place May 26 and 27 in Cambridge.<\/p>\n
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