By Mark Gokavi for the Dayton Daily News

BELLBROOK | Steven McCarthy didn't have much gas for overtime, so the Alter senior ended it quickly.

McCarthy's header 56 seconds into OT Wednesday gave the Knights a 2-1 victory over Bellbrook at David Holmes Field.

"We've got a lot of guys who have a lot of heart," said Alter coach Bob Ellis, his voice cracking and eyes welling up. "But Steven's sitting here — everybody doesn't know, but he's got mono — and he didn't have much energy. I can't explain how much this means. When he knocked in the goal, it was fantastic." The third-seeded Knights play Carroll at 2 p.m. Saturday (site to be announced) for a Division II district soccer title. Alter (12-4-2) is the only team to defeat the Patriots (17-1-0), rallying for a 3-2 win on Oct. 3 when Carroll was ranked No. 1 in Ohio. Alter's captain and leading scorer, McCarthy freelanced on a throw-in by Aaron Shea.

"My job is to skip it back so someone else can get it," McCarthy said. "This time, I thought I could get it myself.''

Perhaps it was the healing powers of Alter's "Spirit Tree," a spindly discounted sappling from Meijer that Ellis said is "sort of like our mascot." McCarthy's golden goal ended the season of the second-seeded Golden Eagles (13-2-3). The game was similar to Sept. 1, when the teams scored close together and tied 1-1.

"We had missed opportunities and that's what happens," Bellbrook coach Charlie Luse said. "We held our own. We can play with anybody."

Alter took a 1-0 lead on a Kevin Hoffman goal. After a nice cross from Daniel Biga, Hoffman put the ball just under the cross bar and over Bellbrook goalkeeper Kevin Oswalt.

The Eagles got the equalizer about a minute later when Greg Beers headed Brian Bolibrzuch's throw-in past Alter's Matt Dorow.

It was Bolibrzuch's 18th assist, extending his single-season school record. Both teams had several scoring chances but didn't capitalize, setting up McCarthy's OT heroics.

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