LAFARGEVILLE — All the pressure was on Copenhagen on Thursday as the Golden Knights entered the regular-season finale one point behind LaFargeville in the Frontier League "D" Division boys soccer standings.
It appeared to be the Red Knights' title to win, until Ben Freeman stepped in and snatched it right away.
The Copenhagen senior's pair of goals — including the game-winner in the 87th minute — netted the Golden Knights a 2-1 overtime victory that wrapped up the team's second consecutive division championship.
Freeman ripped his final shot low, and from about 25 yards. It sneaked around LaFargeville goalie Brandon Davis's hands, and inside the far post.
"We were getting kind of desperate. I saw an opening and shot, and hoped for the best," Freeman said.
The strike sank a Red Knights team that took a one-goal advantage 10 minutes after halftime when Garrett Robbins headed in a Dan Mills free kick. The edge seemed to be enough for LaFargeville (14-2 overall, 12-2 league), but it only lasted until the 74th minute. That's when Freeman made it 1-1 off an assist from Pat Snyder.
While the Red Knights dictated flow in the midfield, they didn't attack with the same high level of energy after notching the potential division-winner, and managed just one more shot on goal.
LaFargeville's other best scoring chance came in the first half on a long blast by Mills, but Paul Sawyer barely tipped it over the crossbar.
"We don't want to go back in a defensive mode," said LaFargeville coach Dan Staie, whose team needed just a tie to clinch the title. "We would rather keep pushing."
Instead, Copenhagen (12-3-1, 12-1-1) became re-energized. Midfielders Snyder and Asa Stackel, both playing ill, regained composure and began feeding the Golden Knights' offensive players, who outshot their opponents 23-8. Fourteen were on goal, and Davis finished with 12 saves.
"I thought they controlled the game for longer parts of it than we did," Copenhagen coach Eric Shambo said. "But in the last 12 minutes we went on a good run. We had two midfielders sick, and they didn't get a sub all game."
A Sept. 23 loss to Lyme and a recent tie with Belleville Henderson nearly cost the Golden Knights a chance to even be in contention for a championship. But they rebounded to win three in a row. Freeman also scored both goals during Tuesday's 2-1 decision over Lyme on the road.
"This has been in our heads since we lost to Lyme," said Freeman, who has 22 goals on the season. "We knew it would be a fight to the end. Every time we get behind we seem to get flustered. All we have to do is stay up."
Nick Patchen and Connor Taylor were able to contain Freeman for a while, but much of the striker's effectiveness lies in his ability to roam the entire offensive third of the field. Whether he's on the wing, or in the center, Freeman never seems to stop running. And that energy eventually becomes contagious.
"He still doesn't realize what he can do with that speed," Shambo said. "Not too many people are going to catch him.
"He's been kind of like a free safety for us. When he starts running around, he makes things happen. We feed off that a lot."