So much is new with the Andrews Osborne boys side in 2024, with all the familiar faces from its Division III state title run last fall gone. Even if the personnel may be vastly different, however, the Phoenix do have one tried-and-true element that hasn’t left their purview: Set pieces tend to be a big help on the biggest stages. Oct. 23 in a Division IV district semifinal against visiting West Branch, that old friend came calling when it was needed most. Andres Pedroza Gonzalez’s strike in the 75th minute proved decisive as AOA edged out a 2-1 win over a capable Warriors’ side. The Phoenix (9-3) will take on fellow News-Herald coverage area side Beachwood, an 8-1 winner over Fairview, in the D-IV Northeast 2 District final at 4 p.m. Oct. 26 at Louisville. Tense might be underselling it with room to spare, amid a match that featured six combined yellow cards in the last 17 minutes alone and a stir among the faithful watching from the north touchline that was palpable throughout. But AOA got it to the full-time whistle anyway, displaying much-improved service quality and generating seven of its eight shots on target in the match in the second 40. “I think keeping our lines a little tighter was the first step,” Phoenix coach Matt Pinna said. “Going a goal down, we started to play with a little desperation. We played a little too long. So at halftime, we made some adjustments to just kind of keep our shape better. And if we’re going to be aggressive, do it in the final third.” AOA 2-1Andres Pedroza Gonzalez 75th min pic.twitter.com/GStp2NCRmV — Chris Lillstrung (@CLillstrungNH) October 23, 2024 In the 75th, locked in a 1-1 stalemate, the Phoenix got a restart on a free kick. Raul Escolano Bonmati served in. Enter Pedroza Gonzalez, the sophomore defender darting through the left side of the box for a well-placed header and the match-winner to keep AOA’s campaign going to the weekend. “It’s because one of the last games, we did the same play,” Pedroza Gonzalez said. “So it’s a team play. Raul, the guy that passed the ball, he’s amazing. It’s one of our plays. We tried, and we got it. “We were just warming up in the first half — not in a bad way. But we were getting in our game. And in the second half, we go for everything.” West Branch (11-4-3) had taken a deserved 1-0 lead out of the opening 40. Operating with a back four with support from a holding midfielder, the Warriors controlled the match with efficiency on ballwinning and combo play. Sophomore Reed Martucci opened his side’s account in the 10th minute with his 13th goal of 2024. As Pinna alluded, though, AOA’s attacking quality picked up after halftime, leading to an equalizer. In the 47th minute, a cross was served in, and an attempt by a West Branch defender to clear went into the back of the net for an own goal, making it 1-1. Martucci was turned away in the 56th, and AOA’s Juan Luis Cano Gonzalez had a decent look in the 61st go begging wide. Past the hour mark, the match had become especially physical on 50-50s, with more than the usual contact — a scene made more tense by the proximity of the fans to the match. Following Cardoza Gonzalez’s go-ahead strike in the 75th, the Warriors got one last good look at an equalizer in the 78th. Martucci drew contact at the top of the box for a free kick and took the strike himself. But it was turned away to preserve the 2-1 scoreline. So much is new for the Phoenix. But at least one element remained a constant when it was required. “We first said, ‘We’re not the state champions. Last year’s team was,'” Pedroza Gonzalez said. “We’re trying to get it again, so we’re going to put in the effort. Everybody does their job, and I think if we keep doing this, we’re going to get very far.”