For long spells, this looked like the kind of game Ottawa should have closed out.
That is often where leads disappear in school football: one goal changes the mood, the chasing team grows, and the team in front starts playing the score rather than the game. The report says Sterling found the late winner with only a few minutes left, which underlines how thin the margin was between a strong Ottawa result and a painful setback.
Comebacks like this can shape a season beyond a single afternoon.
Sterling’s fight from two goals down speaks to resilience, but also to belief in open-game moments. Once the first reply went in, Ottawa’s cushion appears to have vanished quickly. For Sterling, that kind of finish can become a reference point in tight matches later in the campaign.
For Ottawa, the lesson is harsher. Protecting a lead is not only about defending deeper; it is about keeping possession, slowing the emotional swing, and denying the opponent a second wave.
Elsewhere, the report says Newark finished second at the Manteno Earlybird Tournament after winning three of four matches.
The next storyline is simple: whether Sterling can carry this comeback into its next outing, and whether Ottawa can respond before one bad collapse starts to feel like a trend. For Newark, the challenge is turning promising tournament form into a longer run of results.