WS Chronicle

Photo by Timothy Ramsey

BY TIMOTHY RAMSEY 

THE CHRONICLE

Glenn’s JV soccer team faced off against East Forsyth looking to avenge an earlier season loss to the Eagles. Having three of their better players move up to the varsity level didn’t help their chances, but the Bobcats were able to fight to a 2-2 tie.

To start the game, Glenn went on the attack early by getting the first shot off on goal.  The did not score but they did make the Eagle defenders aware.  Continuing to apply pressure Bobcat forward Ramiro Pazcual-Hernandez scored on a well-timed crossing pass from his teammate to give them the early lead.

It was now the Eagles turn to answer the Bobcat goal. They began to assert themselves on offense getting off a few shots at the Bobcat goalkeeper.  East Forsyth tied the game at 1 when their forward beat the goalkeeper in the top right corner of the goal.

Minutes later, the Eagles once again beat the Bobcat goalie that gave them a one-goal lead.  Glenn threatened to tie the game late in the half but the Eagles goalkeeper came up big and stopped all shots.

Building on their momentum from the first half East Forsyth started the second as they ended the first by getting an early breakaway chance.  Unfortunately for the Eagles, the ball sailed wide right.

Soon after the missed opportunity from the Eagles, Bobcat striker Axel Sarmiento put one in the net during a mad scramble in front of the goal.  That goal tied the game at 2.

Following the tying goal, Glenn controlled the possession of the ball for most of what remained in the second half.  East Forsyth picked up their intensity to match the Bobcats but both offenses were at a stalemate.  This trend continued for the rest of the game and ended in a 2-2 tie.

East Forsyth head coach Taylor Olive said his team played well for most of the game but fell apart late and gave up too much possession.

“We kind of fell asleep in the end and it showed,” said Taylor.  “We gave away that game, we probably should have come away with a win but we just had a bad day.”

Sean Sexton, Glenn head coach, said his team played better in the second half but could only muster one goal and that wasn’t enough to get the victory.

“At the end, I thought we had the momentum and if the game was five minutes longer, who knows,” Sexton said.  “We have been a second-half team all season.  Our second halves tend to be stronger maybe because they realize especially when we are down that we have to step it up.

Sexton went on to say his team is really starting to believe in themselves especially after losing their top goal scorer to the varsity team.  He says it’s good they are building confidence and finding a way to compete during the hardest part of their schedule.