DES MOINES, Iowa — Goalkeepers can often find themselves the hero for making a crucial save.
But, what about when they're the ones scoring the game-winner?
On a windy Tuesday night, Dowling Catholic and Des Moines East were tied at two goals apiece in double overtime. Both teams were exhausted and wanted to finish out the night with a win.
"It had to be the windiest game I've ever coached and or played in," said Dowling Catholic head coach Jackson Teeling. "We were trying to win the game, right? We had just defended for 10 straight minutes going into that wind for the first overtime."
Enter Dowling goalie and team captain Diego Leon. He kicked the ball deep to the other side of the field in hopes that one of his teammates would catch up to it and score.
"The second overtime, we had the wind at our back and I had been playing long balls all game, so I mean, why not keep going?" Leon. said. "I just thought to myself maybe one of these is gonna land perfect, maybe not for me, but for someone else that's out there to tap in and score."
Thanks to some help from the wind, the ball bounced over the East High goalie and into the net for the game-winning goal.
"When I saw it bounce, it was definitely a big bounce and I think the wind just took it after it bounced and I saw it go in and I saw the fans go crazy and that's when I realized I had scored."
This was Leon's first high school goal, and one he said he'll never forget.