Spring Showcase- Part II

The 18’s woke up at 6:30 to prepare for their 9 o’clock game against BW Gotschee. We arrived at the fields to find that the grass was quite wet. After we went through our normal warm up it was time for kick off. We played evenly for the first 20 minutes, but then we found ourselves behind after a cross that snuck past keeper Bobby Nedzweiki. After a few more minutes they netted another goal. After the halftime whistle sounded, we found ourselves behind 2-0. We started the second half and soon after Gotschee netted another goal. 15 minutes later their striker netted a blistering volley off of a cross. 5 minutes later Travis Hoguet got behind the defense and crossed the ball to a wide open Dakota Gilbert in the middle, who chipped the keeper and put the score to 4-1. After the fourth goal was scored, we started to connect passes and played very well. With ten minutes left in the half Seth Rudolph put a shot away to make the score 4-2. And with that the scoring was concluded and the game ended with Gotschee winning 4-2. During the second half the sky cleared up and it w as very sunny and the temperature raised at least 10 degrees. With it having rained the past few days in Florida, the humidity made it seem much hotter and made it difficult to breath. Then it was the 16’s turn to take the field. They saw that the older team of the BW Gotschee wore down as we possessed the ball throughout the second half. This is what they would plan to do however they did not in the first half and it ended in a 2-0 score with BW in the lead. As the second half started we made many changes and had fresh legs. We fought hard and Crutcher struck first with a great finish assisted by CJ Cerna. The half seemed endless as the heat kept getting stronger and stronger and it seemed as though the game would end in a 2-1 score. But then a foul was given in our favor in the closing minutes, we knew this would be the last time we would be able to score. With a great ball in by Shorts, Fink jumped in the air and headed in the goal tying the game in the closing seconds. Just after the ball soared into the net the referee blew the whistle and the game ended in a 2-2 tie. Blake and Dale were happy with the well fought tie however think that we can do much better if we just start off like we ended from the start. After the games we headed down to the beach. All the guys got a bite to eat and walked around checking out the stores. Then we hung out on the beach for awhile. We piled back up in the vans and headed back to the hotel. We had a study hall and ordered pizza then called it a night.

Written by: Kent Kobernus, Joe Crutcher, Sam Fink