BEACHWOOD — After 80 grueling minutes of regulation and nearly a full extra period of sudden-death soccer, Perry’s Aleigha Granchi delivered a moment of pure magic.
With time melting away in the first overtime of Tuesday’s Division IV, Region 13 sectional final, Granchi broke free on a perfect lead pass from Andora Porcello and buried the golden goal to send the Pirates to the next round with a stunning 2–1 upset over 22nd-seeded Beachwood.
“We were looking for that run all night long, and it finally showed up,” said Perry head coach Rich Stavar. “It went back and forth all night, and we were very fortunate to finally find that runner we were looking for all night.”
The Pirates struck first when Aubrey Hopkins found the back of the net in the 15th minute, finishing off a clean assist from Audriana Polzer. That early strike held up until halftime, but Beachwood refused to go quietly.
In the 47th minute, Lilah Droe leveled the score on a free kick from just 15 yards out, igniting the Bison bench and setting the stage for a tense, back-and-forth finish. Neither team broke through in regulation, sending the match into sudden death.
Then came Granchi’s heroics — for the second time in her career.
“This isn’t her first rodeo. She had a game-winner in overtime a couple of years ago. Today was a little bit better of a shot,” Coach Stavar said with a chuckle. “She got the ball off her left foot, she went far-post where it was supposed to go, and she managed to slot it in.”
Granchi described her mindset simply:
“I just continued making those runs. I knew we had to score, and knew that if we kept making those runs, someone in the middle would end up passing it, so I just kept going.”
As the underdogs, Perry showed poise, patience, and belief — all the ingredients of a classic postseason upset.
“(Beachwood) is fast, speedy, and they have good crosses, so it was really good to get this win,” said Hopkins.
Katy Rockwell stood tall in goal for Perry, recording six clutch saves to preserve the victory.
Despite the heartbreak, Beachwood capped a strong campaign that began with a 5–0–1 start and showcased a young roster full of promise.
“In our scrimmages, we were trying to figure it out, but once we hit the season, we were off and running,” said Beachwood head coach Maranda Sullivan. “They started putting the puzzle pieces together, figuring out where they belonged and where each girl benefited the team the most. We figured that out and found our flow.”
That progress has the Bison looking forward with confidence.
“This is our baseline for where we start next year. Our seniors did an amazing job of getting us into these situations the last four years,” Sullivan said. “In my first year here, we won three games, and now four years in, I can walk away with 11 wins. It sets the tone for the level at which we start next year. Next year, we know we’re a playoff team; we were a 13 seed, but can we get into that top 10? Those are the things we’ll strive for.”
Morgan Jackson tallied nine saves in goal for the Bison.
With the overtime thriller in their rearview mirror, the Pirates now turn their focus to the next challenge — a regional clash at 11th-seeded Elyria Catholic on Tuesday, Oct. 21.
