Staunton Star - Times - Published in the Interest of the Staunton Community for Over 143 Years

Bulldogs lose close one in PKs; go 1-2 on the week

The Staunton Boys’ Soccer Team continued its campaign this season with three games this week. The first one, on Tuesday, was a home game against SCC opponent Litchfield-Gillespie. Then, on Thursday, the team traveled to Springfield Lutheran to take on the Crusaders before finishing the week with a home game against East Alton-Wood River on Saturday.

The team was entering the week on a high after back-to-back wins over Lebanon and Vandalia on the road, and looked to continue that streak against Litchfield-Gillespie at home on Tuesday. The Bulldogs were looking for some revenge after the Purple Panthers had bested them earlier in the season, 2-1, at the Route 66 Kickoff Classic Tournament. This time, both teams were at full strength.

The game started with a lot of back-and-forth action, with neither team really dominating the other. It wasn’t until the twenty-first minute that #30 Drake Gasperson for the Panthers stole an errant pass back to the keeper to put the opponents up 1-0. The score would remain that way until halftime.

The Bulldogs came out strong in the second half to take control of the game. In the forty-ninth minute, junior midfielder Victor Buehler laid down a beautiful pass that sophomore striker Rhyse Rucker slotted into the upper left corner of the goal. Nine minutes later, sophomore defender Ford Klocke (from Bunker Hill) threw the ball into senior striker Troy Albertina, who took a shot from around twenty-five yards out, and it sailed over the Litchfield keeper and just under the crossbar for a goal.

The Bulldogs had come back to take the lead and were looking to add to it, when senior goalkeeper and co-captain Grant Neuhaus made an outstanding diving save on a shot which, unfortunately, bounced right to Gasperson for his second goal of the game. The score remained tied until the end of regulation, with neither team ready to let go of the lead. Two full ten-minute overtime periods went by, as well, before the game needed to be decided by penalty kicks.

The Purple Panthers shot first and missed the goal wide right, which left the door open for the Bulldogs to take the early lead in the shootout. Unfortunately, senior striker and co-captain Ashton Copeland’s shot hit the crossbar and bounced up and over. After Litchfield netted its second attempt, senior defender and co-captain Adam Overby stepped up to the spot and placed a beautiful PK in the upper right corner. The score was 1-1. Litchfield connected on its third attempt, and freshman midfielder Aaron Bodner capitalized on his PK with a blast right past the Litchfield keeper. The score stood at 2-2 with two more players to go apiece.

Unfortunately for the Bulldogs, Litchfield would connect on both of its remaining PKs, and Troy Albertina’s PK was saved on a beautiful, athletic play by the Litchfield keeper. The heartbreaking loss means that the Bulldogs are now 1-1 in the South Central Conference, and most likely need help to claim even a share of a conference title.

On Thursday, the team made the trek to Springfield to take on the Lutheran Crusaders in yet another rematch from the Route 66 Kickoff Classic Tournament that the Bulldogs lost 4-0. This time, the team was fully rested, but missing senior striker Luke DeWitt due to a dual-sport commitment, and its keeper Grant Neuhaus due to an injury. Troy Albertina gladly took on the role for the team.

Unfortunately, the Crusaders took the action to the Bulldogs from the very first whistle. The Crusaders earned corner kick after corner kick on their way to earning eleven corners for the half. It wasn’t until three minutes to go before the break, that the pressure finally became too much to take. The Crusaders forced an own-goal followed moments later with a goal of their own to take a 2-0 lead into halftime.

The Bulldogs played much better in the second half and only conceded one corner the rest of the way. Play seemed much more even for awhile, and then #21 Carter Matteson from Lutheran netted back-to-back goals to put the game out of reach. The Crusaders would add one more before the Bulldogs finally broke through. Rhyse Rucker earned a PK in the seventy-seventh minute that Adam Overby banked beautifully off the right post and in. Albertina had six saves in the 5-1 loss.

On Saturday, the team welcomed East Alton-Wood River in a non-conference matchup. The Oilers were stretched thin by committing to a JV tournament that day as well, and were only able to bring eleven players. Despite the disadvantage, the Oilers gave the Bulldogs a run for their money.

Ashton Copeland got the game underway with a beautiful goal in the ninth minute, followed by another gorgeous goal by Luke DeWitt (assist Rucker) less than a minute later. The Oilers answered with a goal of their own by #14 Devon Green to make the score at halftime 2-1 Bulldogs.

Brad Neuhaus for the Star-Times

Ford Klocke (Bunker Hill) follows through while Jack Pritchett backs him up in last week's game vs. Springfield Lutheran.

After the break, Copeland got things rolling, once again, with his second goal (assist DeWitt) of the game. Not to be outdone, DeWitt responded with his second goal as well (assist Copeland). The game looked to be out of reach until EAWR found the back of the net again. Green scored his second goal as well, and the tally was now 4-2 Staunton.

The Bulldogs looked to put the game out of reach when sophomore midfielder Carson Buffington scored his first goal of the season (assist Overby), and Rhyse Rucker scored (assist DeWitt) to put the team up 6-2.

At that point, the game seemed out of reach, and perhaps the Dogs let down their guard a bit too soon. Green scored back-to-back goals for the Oilers to lead all scorers for the afternoon with four, and to make the score an uncomfortable 6-4, with time remaining. Luckily, the team rallied to stave off the comeback and secure the win.

The team now moves to 5-6-1 on the season and 1-1 in the SCC. The boys will have another busy week next week with two home games Monday (Pleasant Plains) and Tuesday (Hillsboro) and two away games on Thursday (North Mac) and Saturday (Breese Central).