Game 17

Game 17 – 10/16/07
Rebels Beat Rival Westminster 2-1 to Stay Atop ABC League

The Priory J.V. Soccer team was looking to make it three wins in a row when they traveled to Westminster on Tuesday afternoon. The team was also looking to maintain its dominance in ABC League play. The Rebels came out a little slow, and they seemed a little off all afternoon. They struggled to maintain possession on an unfamiliar pitch and Westminster created several chances off of Rebel turnovers. However, freshman keeper Sam Sagartz (making his first start of the season) was ready to answer the call whenever the Wildcats played a ball into the box. The Rebel defense held in the first half and there were stretches when the Rebels controlled the ball and looked like the superior team. The Priory outside midfielders made some nice runs to spur attacks but their crosses could not find their targets in the middle. The Rebels finally found the net after a nice free kick play from about 45 yards out on the left side of the field. The Rebels loaded up the far post with runners, and Westminster played accordingly, assuming that Brandon Wehking would loft a ball into the box. However, Kevin Hess made a nice run to the vacant near post area and Wehking played him a simple ball on the ground. Kevin took the ball down the sideline and hit a dangerous cross into the box. The ball ended up on Gustavo Sanchez’s foot, and he hit a shot that snuck past a diving Westminster keeper and into the far side of the net. The Rebels took a 1-0 lead, but the Wildcats weren’t defeated. Before the half ended, the Wildcats put the pressure on the Rebel defense and earned numerous corner kicks and free kick opportunities from dangerous distances. The Rebel defense struggled to clear many of these, but the Wildcats couldn’t capitalize. Just before the half ended, the Rebels built a nice counter-attack when Regan Frost made a run down the sideline. He played a brilliant ball into the box and Colin Bruns stuck a foot on it to hammer it into the net. It appeared as if the Rebels had taken a two-goal lead, but the referee signaled offside and the score remained 1-0 at half.

In the second half, the Wildcats pushed several players forward into the attack. Things got a bit crazy with the Wildcats sending so many players forward and the Rebels couldn’t take advantage on the counter-attack. The Rebels started to panic and their touch seemed to disappear. They couldn’t possess the ball long enough to find the open men and turnovers were abundant. After a costly Rebel turnover, the Wildcats played a ball forward hoping to spring a quick counter. A speedy striker beat the Rebel defenders to the ball and put the ball past a helpless Rebel keeper. With the score tied, the Rebels woke up a bit, but they still couldn’t find their touch. Fortunately the defense responded and Kevin Hess, Doug Hall, and Brandon Wehking began to limit the Wildcat opportunities and prevent the Westminster strikers from getting the ball. When things were looking pretty dire for the Rebel attack, some fresh faces picked an opportune moment to put their stamp on the season. Graham Kerwin, playing in just his fourth game, took control of the ball in the midfield and played it up to Andrew Erker. Andrew took a few touches under pressure and took the ball to the goal. When Erker reached the top of the box he ripped a shot that headed toward the far post. The Wildcat keeper leapt in the air to try and stop the ball, but he could only get a finger on it as it went past him and into the net. It was Erker’s first goal of the season and Kerwin’s first assist. In the final minutes of the game, the Wildcats tried to push forward and tie the game, but the Rebel defense refused to allow them back into the game. The 2-1 victory showed that this Rebel squad could gut out a win even when not on their best game. The victory also shows that any player on this team can step up and contribute in a big way. The Rebels now have 14 different players with goals and 16 different players with assists.


Goals: Sanchez (2), Erker (1)

Assists: Hess (1), Kerwin (1)

Game Balls: Erker, Hess

Up Next: Friday Oct. 19 @ John Burroughs @ 4:15