![Park Center senior forward Sam Moses celebrates the Pirates 3-1 victory over Mounds View with seconds left in the Class 2A Section 5 boys' soccer tournament playoff game Tuesday night at Park Center High School in Brooklyn Park. Moses scored the first and third goals for the Pirates. ] (SPECIAL TO THE STAR TRIBUNE/BRE McGEE) **Sam Moses (white, 13)](https://arc.stimg.co/startribunemedia/P75V4U5YQSMJ3M6BOVNS4TBWWU.jpg?&w=1080)
Top-seeded Park Center defeated No. 3 seed Mounds View 3-1 Tuesday night in the Class 2A, Section 5 boys' soccer final at Park Center High School. The victory sends the Pirates to the state tournament for the first time since 2004.
Senior forward Sam Moses scored two goals to bookend the Pirates' offensive effort. His first tally came about seven minutes into the game, with senior Alex Zolnosky getting the assist.
"I remember the first one clearly," Moses said. "It was a throw-in. … Kept my eye on it and just went for it."
Junior defender Jet Thephanonxay gave the Pirates a 2-0 lead early in the second half off a penalty kick.
Playing with a 2-0 lead was "a nerve-racking position to be in,'' Park Center coach Sean McNattin said. He recalled coaching a girls' team in a section final in which the team led by the same score but lost.
Mounds View broke the shutout in the 59th minute to score the only goal Park Center allowed in the section tournament. The play happened so quickly, it was unclear who exactly got credit for knocking it in. Players were just fighting for the ball and it went across the line, according to Mounds View coach Chris Scanlon.
Said McNattin, "It's a whole different game at that point.''
The Mustangs gained some momentum after their goal, but Moses buried a pass from senior Craig Kaizer about three minutes later to bring back some breathing room for the Pirates.
