In a high school boys soccer version of the movie, “Waterworld,” Pine Grove defeated Jim Thorpe, 2-1, in the District 11 Class 2A semifinals on Thursday.

In a driving rainstorm, second-seeded Thorpe (13-4-2) came out strong on the attack, but after a few good opportunities, the spinning water ball found its way on the other side of the field and into the Olympian net.

With 10:56 to go in the first half, Pine Grove’s Hunter Deichert hit Ethan Hannevig with a pass inside the box and Hannevig buried his kick into the far right corner of the goal.

The score was exactly what Cardinal coach Marvin Weber had wanted.

“I told our team we needed to score first,” he said. “We changed our formula from the first time we played them. This time we emphasized being more offensive than defensive.”

Two minutes after the goal, Pine Grove goalkeeper Landon Schaeffer stopped Andy Mazzella’s header in close to preserve his team’s lead.

The Cardinals then got the better of the play. Jim Thorpe keeper Jacob Geiser saved a shot by Cameron Achenhach and another by Derrick Boyer with 1:50 left in the half. Boyer failed to beat Geiser again when he was all alone in front with under a minute to play before the intermission.

“We’re two very similar teams,” said Jim Thorpe coach Mike Dudak. “And for some reason, that seems to burn us and it did again today.”

Pine Grove, a penalty kick winner over Tamaqua in the quarterfinals, would answer their coach’s call again in the second half when he implored them to score early. Through the pelting rain and with just five minutes gone in the half, midfielder Garrett Brandt took a rebound and fired a laser beam through a multiplayer screen into the lower right corner to give the Cards a 2-0 advantage.

“We’ve really responded when these games are so important,” said Weber, whose team is now riding a five-game winning streak heading into next week’s championship game.

The second goal appeared to take the spirit out of the Olympians as sixth-seeded Pine Grove jammed the passing lanes and were content to boot long clearing kicks away from their goal mouth.

At the 19-minute mark, JT’s Evan Fedora managed a long shot on goal that was an easy save for Schaeffer. Six minutes later, Schaeffer knocked aside a hard kick from Marc Weslesyn, whose next shot was also saved a minute later.

With the Cardinal defense collapsing against any Thorpe rush, it appeared the Olympians were going to be shut out, but with only 3:38 left in regulation, Jack Morris got the ball off a corner kick and passed it to Aiden Clements, who knocked the ball home and put Thorpe on the board.

With under a minute to go, Georgly Sakharov boomed a kick that sailed into the football crossbar in what was the final attempt for Thorpe to tie the game.

Afterward, Dudak reflected on his team’s loss.

“They caught us on our heels a couple of times and capitalized on our mistakes. If we had to lose, I’m glad it was to Pine Grove. Marvin is a friend of mine and does such a great job there.”

Just before he headed back to spend time with his seniors who had played their last game for Jim Thorpe, he added, “What else can you say. It is what it is.”

DEJA BOO ... Last year, Thorpe also was eliminated in the district semifinals when it fell to Pen Argyl.

NUMBERS DON’T TELL THE STORY ... Jim Thorpe outshot Pine Grove, 13-7. On the other side, there were several times where Geiser had to bolt out of his goal crease to beat an oncoming Cardinal to the ball and thwart a good scoring attempt.

UP NEXT ... Pine Grove will now play against the winner of Saturday’s Notre Dame-Green Pond vs. Allentown Central game on Wednesday at a site to be determined for the district championship.