JV2 Wildcats displayed true spunk in its match against the NMH Warthogs.

    Under an overcast sky and a 60-degree day, we met up with Northfield Mount Herman for our one and only match of the season.  While we were in good spirits, we were a little concerned that our middle halfback Cody Nguyen was on the Disabled List.  However, in the opening minute of the game, Andrew Hadlock sent a pass into the open space behind the Warthog’s defensive line and Veeti Kohvakka took the ball in and placed a high ball into the upper post to put the Wildcats on the board.  As we cheered, Coach Custer and I exchanged glances and worried that his earlier theory about the dangers of scoring the first point might foretell misery for us later in the match.

  NMH pressed hard and immediately and Max van Dijk had to make the first of many diving saves.  Then in the eighth minute, there was a bobble in the box on our end and NMH took advantage.  They tied the score up 1 to 1 and Coach’s theory seemed to be playing out again.  The Warthogs were passing well and moving the ball around our defensive end for most of the half.  If it weren’t for the defensive juice of Thatcher Ouhrabka, Ben Weise, and Kyle Young, Max would have had a much harder match.  As is was, he racked up over seven saves.  We were able to move the ball down in NMH’s end occasionally.   With only seconds left in the half, a direct kick placed the ball in close to their net where Andres Urruela headed it over to Chris Chen who blasted it just over the top before the whistle sounded.

    We knew that this was a talented squad, but we also knew that we could do a better job of controlling where we sent our passes.  Too often we were shutting down plays, but then randomly booting the ball back to an NMH players.  We were not helping ourselves out – especially since they had many more “fresh legs” than we did.  Our fear was that they would just exhaust us.  We needed to dig down and put forth a more aggressive and efficient effort.

  At 3:55 the whistle blew and immediately we made the first strike with a drive up the side by Veeti, who sent a cross to Gunner Wood in the center.  While unfortunately the keeper saved the ball, we had shown that we were not ready to give up.  At 3:56, Andrew was up close again and took a left-footed shot that was saved.  3:57 Andrew kicked a Direct Kick up to Veeti whose shot was saved.  Then it was Veeti to Andrew – save.  NMH finally took possession but Tyler Wenning displayed that he could contain without overcommitting.  While NMH was able to get a shot off, it was outside and Max was able to easily take possession.

    Then with only eleven minutes into the half, Jonathan Li passed a ball up to Andrew.  He drove forward up the side, reversed direction and sent a blast into the top to put us up by one.  This sent a palatable shockwave throughout the field.  It was as if our first goal had been a fluke and this one was confusing.  Two minutes later Gunner raced up the line, but his shot was deflected out.  Andrew placed the corner kick in the middle to Veeti, but his shot went off the top beam and NMH got it out of their end.

  Something different was happening.  KUA was no longer on the defensive.  We were attacking and keeping up the pressure.  Then at the sixteenth minute, we earned a direct kick from ten yards within our half.  Kyle Young sent a cannon over the Warthog’s defensive line and Andrew pushed in to place our third in the net.  This play was huge.

    NMH did not let up and blasted off several shots that Max had to hustle for and dive at, but he was having a great game in goal and met each challenge with aplomb.  Nick Wilder, also, was having perhaps his best game of the year.  He shut down myriad attacks and even ventured well into NMH territory.  He was definitely on his game in this match. 

  With eleven minutes left in the half, Andrew sent a corner kick into the middle where Gunner tipped a pass to Jonathan who placed it in for the goal that sealed the game.  However, we continued to see more grit, such as Tryder Kulbacki’s shot off a long cross from Andrew and Nuri Lesbek’s chips into the middle. With only seconds left, NMH drove deep one last time, but Kyle was able to tap into his baseball spirit and slid successfully into the shot to drive it out of play.  As the final whistle was blown, Coach’s theory about the dangers of scoring the first point too soon seemed to have less validity as it did in the last game.

  At the end of the match, Coach congratulated the team for a game well played.  He stressed that it was the pure spunk of our squad that produced the ultimate win.  This was true and one of the characteristics that shines forth in every practice and match.