Wildcats Win Victory Over High Mowing
The weather for yesterday's game couldn't have been better. The sun shone warmly down from an almost cloudless sky and a gentle breeze lent a calming gesture. We were excited to play another game at home. However, minutes before the game, coach Custer and I learned from our Athletic Director that our opponent had called to give us a heads-up. They were arriving with a team of ten and requested that we play ten-on-ten. Initially, we were hesitant. Twelve years ago, during our first year of coaching together, we held an undefeated season up until the final game. That game was against High Mowing School. They only had one team and arrived with a bench of eleven players. While the game proved to be one of the most memorable in our time together, it still was the one that broke our winning streak.
When they arrived, we talked with the coach and agreed to match their numbers, yet more bizarre events occurred. Whether it was his style or he was still seething from the fact that he hadn't read his email alerting him that the game was to begin at 4:00 instead of 3:00, the head ref alerted us that there would be no coin toss, High Mowing would start with the ball, and we would have the sun in our eyes during the second half of the game. (Hell hath no fury like a referee…?) In addition, even before Max van Dijk was in his box and two minutes ahead of schedule, he blew the starting whistle. I was still jotting down my final pre-game notes and nearly missed our first drive. I looked up in time to see Trong Pham control the ball outside the box before sending up a pass to Jonathan Li. Jonathan deftly dribbled by four defenders and popped the ball into the net for our first point. Although we were happy to be on the board, it was at the same time and ominous sign to be up there with less than a minute of play. This is never a good sign. It either means the goal was a fluke or that the final score will be one-sided.
Our boys settled into a solid routine of passing from the outside in. Jonathan, Cam Plume, John Erwin, Kohki Shinohara, and Bridger Close worked the ball well. The training with Coach Muhlauri on Monday was showing its positive effects. Each of the boys sent assists in and each had shots on goal, but all moves went wide or the keeper was there to grab them. Then in the twelfth minute, Bridger sent a crisp pass up to Jonathan. He, again, wended his way through several defenders and sent a shot toward the far post for our second goal of the day. Meanwhile, our defensive line of Will Haynes, Alisdair MacPhail, and Nick Wilder were keeping High Mowing's offensive line away from Max.
At the twenty-minute mark, Amir Lesbek received a pass from Sam Lower. He took it past an attacking defender, sent it to Cam, who finished the give-and-go with his own deke and pass back. Amir recovered the ball and shot it toward the post for our third goal. Five minutes later there was a melee in front of the net and Tom Huang took control and tapped in our fourth goal by the keeper.
At the half, we were happy to be winning but in the unfortunate position of being four goals ahead of a team who was playing extremely hard but had no substitutes. We encouraged our team to continue to play hard but to work on wide passing over individual drives. Our protestations were met in the manner of a driver desperately holding back the reigns of an excited horse who feels the first pleasures of gaining its head.
While we did see the draining effects of continued, exhaustive play by High Mowing, we also saw them drive deeper into our defensive line than they had in the first. Eight minutes into the half, we drew a foul inside our own box and Max was forced to face his first Penalty Kick of the season. He met the duel with aplomb and made sure the ball safely passed over the top crossbar. Then a minute later, while in their end, Tom dribbled through four defenders and shot in his second goal of the day. Coach and I sent Brian Lee in as a substitute striker. This was soon followed up by a pass from Amir to Evan Crandlemire just outside their box. Evan displayed his skillful footwork by getting past three defenders and sending the ball into the net. Though we were happy that he earned his first goal of the year, we were not enamored with the rising score. Then a few minutes later Brian Lee followed up with another personal drive and scored. After another round of substitutions, everyone got the message about working as a team. We passed well and send in some long shots that the keeper skillfully stopped.
In the twentieth minute, Amir got a nice pass from Alisdair upfront. He shot on goal and the keeper deflected it to the side. Amir continued his press, as we had taught him, and reflexively tapped the ball, sending a finesse shot into the back for his second goal of the day.
Although tired, High Mowing was by no means giving up. Several times their front line brought the ball in close and made our defense work hard. With only ten minutes on the clock, they drove deep into our end, drew Max out to cut off the angle, and sent a screamer toward the far post to get themselves on the board. Twice more they attacked, but each of their remaining drives was stopped by Max.
In the final minutes of the game, we continued to move the ball well and to shoot from the outside. The High Mowing keeper was quick and skillfully and grabbed each attempt. With five minutes left on the clock, John sent in a lofty shot from at least forty yards out that rose over the goalkeeper and into the very top corner of the far post. Had it been the only goal of the game, our team and all of the fans would have gone insane with the beauty of it. Sadly, he turned to us with an embarrassed, apologizing shrug and heard only silence.
Although the final score was lopsided, all of the boys on the field had played hard and competed well.
This Saturday we travel down to Cushing Academy for a match at 2:30.
