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Bethesda-Chevy Chase's Nick Van Hollen didn't believe.

Until the unbelievable happened.

Down a goal to Northwest with just 19 seconds remaining, the senior midfielder headed in a 50-yard free kick from classmate Pat Mehlert to force overtime, and a decisive penalty kick from junior Jake Elsey gave the Barons a 2-1, 7-6 PK victory in the 4A West Region boys soccer semifinals Friday at Whitman.

"Before he took the free kick, I turned to Jamie [Martin] and said, ‘I don't think he can even reach it from here,'" said Van Hollen. "I was definitely thinking about it, like ‘Oh this could be it.' ... But I won probably the last six headers before that. I guess one had to finally go in."

The goal forced two 10-minute overtime sessions, with only one terrific chance. Late in the first, Jaguars midfielder Robert Hernandez bent his own free kick off the fingers of goalkeeper Ethan Collins and then the crossbar.

Consequently, the game was decided by tension-filled PKs. Each side netted its first six, but finally Collins guessed right, sprawling left to save Hernandez's chest-high kick. Moments earlier, Collins nearly stopped Northwest's Kevin Andino, whose shot was ruled just over the goal line.

"I'm almost positive the entire ball did not cross over; I was furious when the ref said it was a goal," said Collins. "But on [the last one], I actually saw one of my players wave left..."

"Actually," said Van Hollen, "that was me. I know his brother, Roque. He used to play with me and I just knew he was going that way for some reason."

The victory sends the No. 3 Barons (12-2) to Tuesday's region final on Tuesday at Richard Montgomery. They'll face Whitman, a team they beat on Oct. 21, at 7 p.m.

Conversely, No. 2 Northwest's (10-3) storybook season lacked the Hollywood finish. It was arguably the best season in the school's 12-year history, resulting in a 4A West Division title. Along the way, striker Kevin Andino set a program record with 13 goals.

For much of the second half, it looked like they had more chapters to write. With 29 minutes left in regulation, senior defender Patrick Emmett slammed home Andino's rebound from 15 yards out, and Northwest was that much closer to its first-ever region title.

"This was a team that could have won a state title," said Jaguars head coach Kert Mease. "We had our chances. The thing that was neat to see was that if there was one team all year that I thought outplayed us, it was them. I thought we were the better team tonight, but unfortunately the better team doesn't always win. And unfortunately, the stakes were a little bit higher tonight."

Vikings round out 4A West picture

In a less-dramatic nightcap, No. 12 Whitman got an early goal from junior Elliot Markus and made it stand, defeating top-seeded Sherwood, 1-0, for its third postseason victory.

Six minutes in, senior Diego Romero sent a picturesque long ball over two Warrior defenders, with just enough loft for the 5-foot-5 Markus to run onto. A point-blank kick later the game's only goal was accounted for, despite numerous Whitman (9-5-2) chances that followed.

"Diego served me that ball with great touch," said Markus, who scored twice in the Vikings' quarterfinal victory at Blair. "Our coach has told us one goal's enough, and today, one goal's all we needed."

Sherwood (12-4) had opportunities, the best coming late in the second half. Off a deep throw-in, senior Lenny Lapidario found the ball on his right foot just a few yards from the goal line. In traffic, he flipped a low liner that was fielded cleanly by Whitman goalkeeper Zach Khalifa.

Thanks in large part to a Herculean defensive effort from Warriors senior Tomi Adewole, Whitman left several chances on the table. It had near-misses right from the opening kickoff, with dangerous strikers and midfielders Dominick Yin, Sebastian Cahe and Scott Gerfen creating relentlessly.

"It's been the story for us all season," said Whitman head coach Dave Greene. "The difference was, when we had scored against them in the first game [a 2-1 Sherwood victory on Sept. 9], we gave it right back like a minute later. Tonight we didn't give it back. The difference now is that we are scoring at the right time and we're managing the game better."