Plymouth-NorthWood 0-3 (0-2)

The pre gametalk focuses on each player giving their best without worrying about what team mates are or are not doing. Coach Duerksen stresses the fact that a win will give the Panthers a spot over Wawasee and Plymouth in the final NLC standings. The team seems loose and relaxed. After a decent game Monday but without the result we wanted, everyone seems re-energized and ready to go. FIRST HALF- Well, it doesn't take long to change the scoreboard; Sebastian finds Landon on the first attack. His effort gets stopped initially by the Rockies closer but he can't hold on to the ball. The ball rolls and bounces along the goal line and Kyle Luster pushes his body against the ball to place it over the line for a first minute 0-1 lead. Play goes back and forth and the only sub par performance on the field comes from the men in green. The center ref, whose horse was hitched to a post in the parking lot I'm pretty sure, had as much trouble running as he does making the right calls. The AR on the bench side has a tough time (read rarely determines the right team for a throw in) making any good calls. In the 28" a bad Plymouth punt from the GK finds ANdy's feet who takes a blazing shot that gets blocked by the keep. The rebound by Andy Duran does not get close to the frame. Plymouth attacks but our defenders deal with the challenges with strong feet and good communication. In the 31st, Kayden goes into the top right of the box in a 1v1 challenge. He goes around the GK and is now about to head to the goal. But the keeper, knowing he has been beat, grabs Kayden's legs and holds on to them. The arbiter points decisively (kind of) at the 12 and issues the keeper a red card. The Rockies are now down to 10 for the remainder of the match. Andy takes the pk on the back up keeper and once again places into the ropes (Andy thinks he is the PK specialist and so far, he has been pretty good). The 0-2 is also the half time score. HALF TIME- Coach Duerksen stresses the fact that everyone has played the way he wanted to, not dribble out of the back, pass quick and give your best. The proof is in the pudding with the 0-2 lead. Of course, as Coach points out, this is the most dangerous lead in soccer. I don't know what that means but it is a phrase often used to motivate the players to not give up a lead. SECOND HALF- In the 45th, Landon goes around a Rockies defender and crosses the ball thru the box toward C-Bass. Sebastian does not disappoint, he puts it in the net, 0-3. It is his third such chance this season but the difference with the first two is that this one is not on our home field so it does not bounce 29 yards straight into the air. Despite being down to 10 men, the Rockies play hard and are able to attack. Luke Lingle comes up huge on so many occasions to help us keep our 0-3 lead. In the 51st, an indirect free kick on the 18 is the last genuine NW threat to extend the lead. Sebastian lays the ball off to Andre. His shot meets the woodwork. The final score is 0-3, NW finishes 2-5 in NLC (and ahead of Wawasee and Plymouth) and overall we are 6-7-2 going into the Bethany game tomorrow. NOTES- Practice today is at the game field and will be done at 4:40 pm. The JV loses 2-0. They will return to action at 5 pm tomorrow. Senior Night activities are at 6:30 pm to be followed by the very last game ever on the game field at Nappanee ELementary.