MICHAEL KIRAL / L’Observateur / February 16, 2000

BOUTTE – Fans who attended the Rummel-Hahnville District I bi-district playoff game Saturday evening came expecting a close, hard fought soccer game.

They just didn’t expect it to be this close.

Tim Sirmon’s tap in of a throw in by Brandon Kelley with less than a minute left in the second sudden death period gave Hahnville a 1-0 victory over the Raiders and advanced the Tigers to the regional round. Hahnville travels totop-ranked Brother Martin today at 3:30 p.m.The 109-minutes of soccer was the second longest in Hahnville’s history under coach Rafael de Vega, capped only by a game five seasons ago that was decided by penalty kicks.

Saturday’s game appeared to be on its way to be decided by penalty kicks as neither team could penetrate the other’s defenses. But with a minute left,Hahnville had a throw in from the left sidelines. Kelley took the throw in andtossed it in front of the net. The throw came to Sirmon on the right side whotapped it in for the game winner.

“It was a great game,” Kelley said. “It was the best game I ever played in.Our hats off to Rummel. They deserved to win it as much as we did. It’s toobad they have to go home.”Hahnville had a chance a minute earlier in the overtime as Brad Berthelot sent a pass to Adrian Sorapuru whose shot from the right side sailed high.

Rummel threatened in the first sudden death period but shots by Gerardo Galdamez and Ricky Dunn were grabbed by Hahnville goalie Matt Cummins.

In the two 10-minute overtime periods, Hahnville had a chance in the first overtime as Travis Webre’s shot off a corner kick by Adam Bordelon sailed high. Rummel threatened in the second period with a header by Robbie Ricauxsailing high.

Rummel had an early threat in the first half as a header by Dunn sailed high.

Hahnville then took over with a penalty kick by Mark Griffin deflected wide 15 minutes into the game. Griffin then sent a corner kick to Webre whose shotwas deflected over the net by Rummel goalie Wayne Messina.

The Raiders had an opportunity at the 18 minute mark as Dunn took a throw in from Jonathan Coates and headed it over the net. Nathan McClendon thendove to deflect away a shot by Paul Benoit.

Hahnville appeared to have broke the stalemate as Bordelon headed in a throw in by Kelley at the 27-minute mark. But the ball was rule to have brokethe goal line before it was touched by Bordelon and the goal was disallowed.

Another throw in by Kelley at the 37-minute mark was headed over the net by Webre.

Rummel’s Ed Ortiz took a pass in front of the net early in the second half but had his shot deflect off Coates. Hahnville had a chance at the 18-minutemark as Shawn Mire took a pass from Griffin and sent a shot from 30 yards out that just missed the left corner of the net.

Cummins helped keep the game scoreless, making a diving stop of a kick by Dunn off a penalty kick by Jeff Siemssen. In the final minute of regulation,the Tiger defense stopped a shot in front by Dunn. Dunn took the reboundbut had his shot grabbed by Cummins.

“I think the people came out and wanted a good game and that’s exactly what they got,” de Vega said. “(The overtime) was the decent way to do it. Iwanted it decided on the field. Anything can happen in the penalty kicks. Butit was a great effort by both teams.”

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