Thursday’s match up for the Region 4-AAA title was third meeting this season between the two schools.

The first two games were decided by a goal. The third for the Region title went into double overtime and Riverdale scored with 30 seconds left to pull out a 1-0 win on Thursday night at Blackman.

Riverdale junior defender Josh Arman nailed a high arching free kick from about 40 yards out. It went over all of the players that were stationed inside the penalty box and bounced into the net.

“I was focused when I took the kick and I was thinking please let it go in,” Arman said. “I knew it was going in as soon as it left my foot.”

Both goalies played outstanding for their respective teams as both of them, Riverdale senior Reese Wolfenbarger and Blackman sophomore Paxton Mitchell, made key saves to keep the game scoreless until the final 30 seconds of the second 10-minute overtime period.

“It’s a great feeling to have the regional title back over here,” Wolfenbarger said. “My defenders did an amazing job tonight.”

During their regular season match April 1, the Warriors pulled out a 1-0 win, however last week at the District 7-AAA finals Blackman returned the favor with a 2-1 victory. Regardless of the outcome Thursday night, both teams will have a shot to advance to the Class AAA state tournament in the Sectional, which will be held Saturday.

With Riverdale’s win, it gets to play host to Ooltewah, who lost to Cookeville 3-2 in the Region 3 title game on Thursday night. While Blackman has to travel Saturday night to Cookeville in the Sectional for the right to punch a berth at the 2011 Class AAA state tournament. Both team’s season will end with a loss in the Sectional.

Both teams know they have put this game behind them and get ready for Saturday’s game.

“We got to elevate our game and play the way we can,” Blackman head coach Bill Vice said. “We will be set.”

Wolfenbarger added, “We just got to play together and play as brothers and make sure it all comes together. We cannot have any mental errors.”

Late the second half, the Blaze had several chances, including a long distance free kick that Wolfenbarger caught and he almost went over the goal line. The Blackman hero from Tuesday night senior Midfielder Gino Garavito had a shot from outside the 18 with a few seconds left in regulation, but it went over the net.

Both teams advanced to the Region finals with wins on Tuesday night. Blackman got two goals from Garavito, including one that faked out two Lincoln County defenders and fellow senior center Matt Carter added one for the 3-0 victory at home over the Falcons.

“I knew they were coming at full speed, so I just stopped and hit it with my left foot,” Garavito said of his second goal.

While, the Warriors traveled to Columbia and got a pair of goals from junior midfielder Seth Guiler and it was enough for the 2-1 win on Tuesday night.

Times for Saturday’s games have not been determined. The 2011 TSSAA BlueCross Spring Fling soccer tournament will take place next week at the Richard Siegel Soccer Complex.