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GLENS FALLS - Facing Section II's career scoring leader, Dillon King, the Northville Falcons were concerned that their goalkeeper, Michael VanNostrand, might not be up to the task.

VanNostrand was absent from school Wednesday with flu-like symptoms, but was well enough to return to class Thursday and play in the Class D semifinal match against second-seeded Loudonville Christian.

Though not 100 percent, VanNostrand, who often wears a Superman T-shirt on the sidelines, proved a formidable force in goal, making 10 saves including a one-on-one stop against King to spark Northville's 3-2 victory and propel the defending Class D champions into Saturday's championship game at Colonie High School.

"Michael really showed what he is made of today in terms of his character and his commitment to this team," Northville coach Steve Clapper said. "He really stepped up and played phenomenal in the back for us today and I think that really made a difference. Our defense played super knowing he was down healthwise, they really stepped up to compensate for that, but Michael was ready for the challenge."

Thursday's victory sets the stage for the Falcons' to make a bid for their 22nd Section II title against fourth-seeded Bolton at 2 p.m. Saturday at Colonie High School. Bolton advanced to the championship game with a 1-0 overtime victory against top-seeded Fort Ann.

The Eagles (14-3-1) found success early in the match when King headed home an Aaron Film corner kick 2:42 into the game for a 1-0 advantage.

Northville (15-1-1) battled back and with 28 minutes left in the opening half picked up the equalizer.

Awarded a direct kick, 30-yards away from the goal mouth, the Falcons used a set play, breaking a huddle and rushing toward the goal, backing off to stay onside as Jimmy Cole struck a line drive over the Eagles' defense and into the back of the goal to tie the match at one.

Northville narrowly missed picking up the go-ahead goal late in the opening half, when Cole's diving header on Josh Ostrander's cross missed its mark wide left.

Northville pressured the Eagles' defense early in the second half and was awarded three corner kicks in the opening five minutes. Loudonville Christian's defense, led by goalkeeper Elijah Bovenzi, held up under the pressure to keep the game deadlocked.

The Falcons' persistence paid off with 21:37 left in regulation when Ostrander won a 50-50 ball on the right sideline and dribbled through a pair of defenders before lofting a cross in front of the goal that Cole headed into the side netting for a 2-1 lead.

Loudonville Christian picked up its pace and got the ball forward to King, who beat his defender along the left side and came in one-on-one with VanNostrand. The Falcons' keeper knocked down King's attempt and the defense quickly cleared the ball upfield out of harm's way.

The play led to what proved to be the game-winner. Zach Bedell put a restart into the Eagle's penalty area where MacKenzie Groff collected it and pushed the ball past Bovenzi for a 3-1 advantage with 31 minutes left in the second half.

King, who has 38 goals this season and 137 for his career, took control of the ball and dribbled deep into the Falcons' defense before chipping the ball over VanNostrand as he charged off this line in an attempt to stop the shot, to cut the lead to 3-2.

Northville regrouped and kept the potent scorer in check over the final minutes to lock up the championship berth.

"Dillon [King] is obviously a great player and you have got to give them credit," Clapper said. "They obviously play him because he has a good shot and is very quick up top. The first half was back-and-forth, both of us created chances and it could have gone either way. The second half, our guys really stepped up to the challenge. They showed they wanted it more. They were going to the ball a lot harder and playing a more give-and-go combination plays. That really opened things up for us and created more quality chances for us to put home."

VanNostrand finished the game with five saves on 11 Loudonville Christian shots on goal, while Bovenzi collected eight saves on 15 Northville shots. The Falcons held a 9-5 edge in corner kicks for the match.

Clapper acknowledged the effort of defender Dylan Allen who marked King for the majority of the match and kept the ball away from the potent scorer.

Looking ahead to Saturday's championship match with Bolton, Clapper said: "I just told them we still have one more day to play and one more chance to show them what we've got. These guys have been doing this day-in and day-out and we are going to keep riding this as long as we can."