Champlin Park attackman Nick Bunde scored the game-winning goal with 3:19 left in the third overtime to give the Rebels an 8-7 victory over Bloomington Jefferson on Saturday afternoon at Rebel field in Champlin Park.  

The No.8-ranked Rebels trailed the No. 5 Jaguars by three heading into the fourth quarter, but Champlin Park coach Eric Borer said the Rebels' emotions stayed in check all game.

“The guys are pretty good at staying even-keel,” Borer said. “We don’t get too high, and we don’t get too low, so it kind of lends us to still be alive even in games where the other team has a lot of momentum and a lot of possession of the game.”

Bunde scored Champlin Park’s game-tying goal with 6.9 seconds left in the fourth.

Borer said he never counted the Rebels out.

“It didn’t cross my mind that this is over,” Borer said. “There’s times where you’re panicking a little bit, but you just got to lean back on your systems and what you’ve been coaching for the whole year. We did that, and we got a turnover and we had success going into the overtime.”

This was Champlin Park's first taste of overtime this season, and it also happened to be the lowest scoring game for the Rebels, given they haven’t scored less than nine goals this season.

Midfielder Michael Borrell, who also tallied a goal, said he knew Champlin Park was going to come away with the victory.

“We had so much energy and so much momentum, I thought we were going to win the whole time,” Borrell said.

Both teams had opportunities to end the game in the first and second overtimes.With the third overtime underway, Bunde said everything was going right for the Rebels.

“Were working, just working it really good that entire overtime,” Bunde said.

Bunde recieved a pass from midfielder Gage Monson to the right of Jefferson goaltender Connor Norberg, about 15 yards out. Bunde found a seam and enough space to let loose a blistering shot. It buzzed past the Norberg's stick and went top shelf. The Rebels rushed the field to celebrate with an ecstatic Bunde.

This shouldn't be a surprise that Bunde scored the game tying and winning goals. Bunde is tied for first on the team with 15 goals, and second in points with 19. Last season, he scored 15 goals and finished fourth among all Rebels players with 25 points.

Midfielder Michael Borrell said he enjoyed the intensity of overtime and thinks the team had its best outing of the season.

“Overtime was so much fun,” Borrell said. “Both teams were going hard. Both teams had a good time. We had an excellent performance today. I’ve never seen our team play better. I’m so happy right now.”


It's a mad scramble late in the game as both teams try to secure the ball. Photo by Brian W Nelson

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