With the stands filled and the pre game talk under way, it is time for the last home game of the season, the last regular season game for our seniors and quite possibly the last competitive game that will ever be played at NorthWood's first soccer home ground. Both teams start and end the game stuck on 5 wins for the season. Before kick off, the Seniors and their parents are introduced to a crowd of about 140 which isn't too bad considering the forecast. The JV sets the tone for the night with a 1-0 win with a Jerson game winner that sends the JV into the off season on a positive note. The Varsity contest kicks off right on time and it takes the Panthers 17 minutes before we threaten the Bruins for the first time with a Landon Parker shot that hits the post. Without anybody close to crash the goal, the net (ha) result is no goal. Eleven minutes later it is Bethany who after a seemingly non threatening attack, score first. The 0-1 half time score means that there is work to be done. Coach Duerksen points out that the work rate was not very impressive considering it is senior night and everything that comes with it. The seniors need to step it up but if they don't, underclassmen will be given an opportunity. The first half is boring, sloppy soccer for sure but at least the second half is more entertaining. It does take the Panthers 28 minutes before we actually change the scoreboard. Micah Pippinger passes a ball up the right side to Jerson, he makes a move and cuts inside and then places the ball between the 6 and 12 right in front of Juan. Juan one touches the ball to get control and decisively slots the ball to the left side on the ground by the keeper to tie the game, 1-1. The last 22 minutes of soccer on the home ground are enjoyable to watch. In the 78th, a great Bruins attack ends with a solid shot at goal but a cat like reaction by Panther's last defender, Cody Cripe, prevents the ball from going in. In the last 4 minutes of the game, the match becomes pretty contentious. When a clear foul -pushing in the back while going up for a header- is committed on Matt, there is, to the surprise of everyone, no whistle to be heard. All night long every little girly touch has been called but this obvious shove in the back gets no response from the ref. It does get a response out of Head Coach Duerksen. His obvious protest results in the center ref coming to the dug out (where it was nice and dry by the way). His question to the Assistant Coach "Are you ready to take over" gets the, I guess, only possible response (unless you want to get rid of your boss)"No, I am not" and therefore preventing a red card??????? I am not sure what all of this means but Coach Duerksen stays on task with his complaint about the non-call and gets a card. The color is yellow so it basically means nothing at this point of the game ((78th min still) or at this point of the season. But now the game becomes interesting. With the Panthers pressing high up the field and in possession of the ball, Eli threatens to score from the top of the box in a 1v1 on the Bruins GK. The ball does not go into the goal and time expires. But now the AR raises his flag and the center ref comes over to see why the flag went up. The AR makes the case that Eli was fouled outside the box and that there were 2 seconds left on the clock (this isn't basketball by the way, the clock ran out, tough luck for us but he, we will take a bad decision going our way for once). We are awarded a free kick. Eli takes it and does a nice job getting it over the wall and on the frame. And by on the fram, I mean on the frame as in on the crossbar and.....over....end of game. Final result 1-1. The regular season ends at 5-9-1. The focus shifts to our Sectional opponent Wawasee (1-0 loss away earlier this year).
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