On a freezing, rain-soaked Wednesday night at Williamsburg, Badin outlasted its Greater Catholic League Coed foe in a scoreless draw through regulation and two overtime periods before winning 4-2 on penalty kicks in a Division III regional semifinal.
Badin (16-3-3) had never beaten Carroll (17-3-2), but that streak ended amid wind, rain and exhaustion.
The Rams finished the last few minutes of the match with only nine players after two red-card ejections on Charlie Hall and Joe Jung — yet they didn’t flinch.
“If you had told me we’d finish with nine guys and still beat Carroll, I’d have said you’re nuts,” Badin coach Eric Hickey said. “We’ve never beaten Carroll. Our back line … was stellar.
“And Cole (Parr) — he’s one of the best goalies in Southwest Ohio, and he showed it tonight. He has had a thousand games this year where he hasn’t had to do anything, but when we needed him tonight, he was massive.”
The Rams have now tied the school record for wins (16), matching the 2003 Tony Brown-led team that reached the program’s only other regional final.
Badin will play Turpin on Sunday at Centerville at a time to be determined.
The Rams’ defense and their senior goalkeeper were relentless. Carroll’s offensive attack lingered, but never broke through.
“They were so physical,” Hickey said. “But our guys can play physical, too. We told them before the game we were due — due to get over this hurdle, not just Carroll but these regional rounds. And they just don’t believe they’re going to lose. That belief is incredible to be around as a coach.”
Badin has allowed only eight goals this season. Parr, who stopped Carroll’s first attempt in the shootout, said he wanted the pressure.
“First thing I said when regulation ended was, ‘Put it on me,’” Parr said. “Maybe make a save, maybe make a statement. PKs are all mental. Anybody can score from 12 yards out — but not in that situation.”
Parr dove full-extension to deny Carroll’s opening kick, and when the fourth Patriot attempt sailed high, the Rams seized control.
“You saw their heads go down and ours go up,” Parr said. “That’s all it takes.”
The final word came from senior defender Luke Hickey, who buried the fourth and decisive penalty kick — one he didn’t expect to take until Badin’s top shooters were unavailable.
“If Charlie and Joe are kicking, Luke’s not kicking,” Eric Hickey admitted. “But I looked at him and said, ‘You’re going to have to step up.’ He just said, ‘I’ll shoot fourth.’ I didn’t even watch it — I was walking down the sideline. Then I heard our crowd go nuts.”
Luke Hickey called it “perfect.”
“I wanted to be the one to do it,” Luke said. “We’ve been begging for this game all season. To finally beat Carroll, to be the first team ever to do it — it’s unreal.”
Carroll coach Scott Molfenter, who has the OHSAA record for most wins in a coaching career with 577, said his Patriots battled to the end.
“I thought it was a good game between two well-matched GCL teams,” Molfenter said. “We had a couple taken away that changed the tone, but we created chances. When it goes to kicks, anybody can win. Hats off to them.”
Despite the heartbreak, Molfenter praised his team — which included seven seniors.
“I’m extremely proud of them,” Molfenter said. “We lost some key pieces from last year, but these guys worked hard. We played 17 games and I think 14 of those teams reached district finals. That says a lot.”
Badin turned a night filled with soaking rain and emotion into a release decades in the making.
“This whole season, I don’t have the words,” Eric Hickey said. “They’re just playing so well. They’re the band of brothers. They’re amazing to watch — amazing to be around.”
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