By JIM WALKER

jim.walker@irontontribune.com

WEST PORTSMOUTH — One of the earliest rock n’ roll songs was “60-Minute Man” by Billy Ward and the Dominoes.

The St. Joseph Flyers were 60-minute men on Wednesday but they came up about  17 minutes shy of what they needed.

With only 17 players on the roster including just 4 seniors, the fatigue factor began to settle in as the South WebsterJeeps controlled possession of the soccer ball and rallied with 3 goals in a 4-minute span as they edged the Flyers 3-1 in the Division 3 district semifinals.

The game was scoreless for most of the first half until “Texas” Jack Whaley scored an unassisted goal as he launched a 30-foot rocket that glanced off the crossbar and landed just beyond the goal line.

Whaley beat everyone to the errant ball and got off his long shot with just 3:35 left in the half.

Playing outstanding defense the entire game, the Flyers held the Jeeps scoreless until the Jeeps’ Hunter Barnard managed to get inside the box and make a shot just beyond the outstretched arms of Flyers’ goalkeeper Evan Balestra at the 16:24 mark.

Less than 3 minutes later, Jacob McGraw made a header off of a cross from the right sideline and the Jeeps were up 2-1 with 13:46 to go.

The Jeeps’ third goal came even quicker as Dylan Shupert scored off of a loose ball near the goal with 12:15 left.

The Flyers’ had a chance at a second goal with 5 minutes left that would have cut the lead to one. But Landon Rowe’s penalty kick kept rising and sailed over the crossbar.

St. Joseph finished the season 14-3-1.

St. Joseph        1 0 = 1

South Webster  0 3 = 3

First Half

SJ — Jack Whaley (unassisted) 3:35

Second Half

SW — Hunter Barnard (unassisted) 16:24

SW — Jacob McGraw (unassisted) 13:46

SW — Dylan Shupert (unassisted) 12:15

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Statistics

Goalkeeper Saves—St. Joseph: Evan Balestra 9; South Webster: Aiden McGraw 2

Shots/Shots on Goal—St. Joseph 6/3; South Webster 18/12

Corner Kicks: St. Joseph 1, South Webster 3

Fouls: St. Joseph 7, South Webster 11