Elkhart Christian-NorthWood 1-1 (1-1)

ANOTHER ARBITRAL TRIO PREPARES FOR A SUB PAR PERFORMANCE. First Half We start the game on a wing and a prayer. But divine luck would not be on our side. Even though it looks like it might be at least for the first minute when we open the score with a Luis cross assist to Carlos who scores the first and only NW goal. Elkhart Christian's first action of the game is when the keeper collects the ball out of the net. And then we have to watch the Eagles defend with 9 or 10 the rest of the game. This negative and destructive type of soccer is seldom seen on a high school soccer field but tonight it is on full display. Only a 13th minute break away that is dealt with poorly gives the ECA "offense" its one opportunity and they execute it about as good as they can and put the ball past Trent for the 1-1. Sixtyseven minutes of pounding the ECA goal doesn't get the needed result. Micahel Hahn hits the crossbar twice in the second half, we stay patient, combine very well but 9 average defenders and one good goalkeeper do not allow another NW goal. Officiating has been awful for at least three games this season (one a loss, one a win and one a tie so results have little to do with the low level of enforcing the rules of the game). The center ref -who at one point went a little crazy when he came over to tell the NW coaches to hush when they literally had said nothing- deserves about a 4 on the 1-10 scale. The JV game at Westview was canceled. It seems that a lot of referees are having to cancel games due to illness/Covid and JV only games then see refs being pulled and redirected to Varsity games. The Varsity is back at it tomorrow when we play Zionsville at 3 pm at the Argos Invitational. Argos plays undefeated South Bend Adams at 1 pm. Losers of G1-G2 face each other at 6 pm while the winners play at 8 pm for the trophy. The NW bus leaves at 1:15 pm.