Defense Downs Offense

Game 0
22 August 2020 in a Blue vs. White pre-Blue-Gold Match (0-2)

Honestly, this team has been one of the more active during this pandemic. We won the Great Plains 6 v 6 league, playing throughout July, captured a first and a third in two Brian White Classics, losing only one match on a shootout. And we have done most all of this wearing our masks, bringing our own water bottles and balls, social distancing--just trying to do everything we possibly can to get to play some real high school matches this season. So, we have shown we were excited to get things started this week. 

So, we finished off tryout week (Congratulations to Liam Ryan, Barrett Kitts, Jacob Muckerman and Zayveon Russell for being named Josh Lents Tryout Award Winners for their grade) Saturday with a shortened scrimmage featuring our varsity and extended varsity in a scrimmage which really pitted the defense against the offense.

The defense prevailed 2-0 in a pretty well-played match from both sides. When I asked Barrett Kitts after the match what happened out there, he responded "Well, we do have the best defense in the state."

BWhite's take was very insightful I thought as he mentioned what he hoped all of the boys got out of the scrimmage was the fact that we have a very good overall lineup and "both the offensive and the defensive side of the ball have to appreciate each other more after that match."

It was 1-0 at halftime as a Matt Seibolt cross backed up to become an upper-90 goal. Other than denying the cross, the Navy could not have done much about that one.

The goal that finished the match game on a beautiful deadball that senior Drew Welch put on the backpost for a Mitchell Farrar header. Hopefully, we get to see some of that later on this month.

The coaches named Drew Welch the Man of the Match. His play at defensive center midfield became such a noticeable difference in both teams that we thought it contributed significantly to the offense's inability to net a goal.

AC (Anthony Consuegsra) had the move of the day that left one defender on the ground and another on the wrong side of the ball, but Landon Rutter stopped the shot. 

We had several freshmen appearing in the match, and all of them showed well. Landon Rutter (a superb keeper) ended up at Urgent Care after the game, checking out ok, but he will have a follow-up MRI on Thursday, and we will all be praying for good results. He has played so well all summer. His plant leg locked up on a goal kick late in the match. 

We will get a first glimpse of the varsity playing as a unit this Wednesday at Blue-Gold. We will be filming that one—so look for some highlights later on next week.

Let's get those Johnson Country infection numbers down!