Wednesday, Oct. 3, 2007
Win, lose or draw, opposing coaches rarely feel the same set of emotions after a game.
But in a scoreless tie between inter-conference boys soccer opponents The Heights and Sandy Spring Friends Friday, that’s exactly what happened. Both coaches felt satisfaction, and a belief that their teams could have won, but also pride at the dramatic result in Sandy Spring.
‘‘We’re really coming along, and I’m just so pleased with the way they played today,” said The Heights head coach Matt Heil. ‘‘We couldn’t quite push a goal across, but our defense was extremely solid. We didn’t want to come out flat against this team because we know they’re always intense. They’re a dangerous team and our guys left it all out on the field today.”
‘‘It was a deserved draw for both teams,” said Wildebeest head coach Eduardo Polon. ‘‘I thought it was two teams going toe-to-toe and when it was all said and done, the people were given a good show.”
Both coaches also enjoyed the tension of a 0-0 tie, in a game that was completely dominated by defense. There were some corner kicks, free kicks from close range, and a couple of shots on goal. But all told, significant challenges for netminders Pat Murray (Cavaliers) and Sam Schneider (Wildebeest) proved rare. The closest call came with just five minutes to go, when Sandy Spring striker Zheng Wang’s shot was barely tipped by Murray and rolled precariously wide of the goal.
The Cavaliers (3-3-3), who returned only two starters from a year ago, have had to rely on defense. With standouts from a year ago playing at Virginia Tech, South Carolina and West Virginia, almost all of the offensive punch from a year ago is gone.
It’s unlikely they’ll match their 15 wins from 2006, but if the Cavaliers can get the inspired play they received from sweeper Chris Haddad and left back Chris Rest Friday, it won’t lose many, either.
For years.
‘‘We only had two kids that were on the varsity team last year — by and large, our boys are just learning,” said Heil. ‘‘We had star power last year where we could rely on some guys to show up every game and score goals. This year’s team plays a lot more stopping than attacking. But we’ve got some great, young players. We’re going to be good for the next two or three years.”
The Wildebeest (5-2-2) also had some rebuilding to do, with all-time leading goal-scorer Kyle Cassidy and all-time assist leader Ethan Price-Chu graduating. But their striker-by-committee of Wang, J.K. Woo, Luke Savonis and Reed Milbrath has accounted for 19 goals (including preseason tournaments), and with mainstays such as midfielder Aaron Lewis and back Ashton Imlay, they stand a good shot at earning their fourth PVAC postseason banner in a row.
Friday, the Wildebeest showed their youth won’t hold them back, and put on a show in the process.
‘‘Humphrey Bogart once said the only thing the audience is owed is a good performance,” Polon said. ‘‘And that’s what the people were given.”
