THE 2022 NORTHWOOD BOYS SECTIONAL CHAMPIONS After a light morning practice and walk through followed by a delicious brunch provided by a large group of parents, the players seem focused and given plenty of nutrients to get us started on a positive and energic note come 6pm. Goodie bags are handed out to each player and coaches as we board the bus right around 4 to head to the Ohio border for the third time this week. It will all be worth it if we bring home the trophy. Here are some things that we already know; it will be sunny but chilly and the Angola bench will be irritating with their odd cheerleading type chatter that will last the entire game. Since Angola only subs when they have no other choice, those boys on the bench can waste their entire energy on screaming their teammates on for 80 minutes. The game starts out the way we expected and it soon becomes clear that our opponent, whom we do not play during the regular season, is not of the same caliber as our squad. Skill wise we are better and tactically we are as well as they do not seem to have much of a game plan unless it is that just kicking the ball up by skipping the midfield is it. Two very opposing playing teams are on the field tonight. Angola is unable to possess the ball much and gives up the ball frequently when pressured by the Panthers. NorthWood passes, switches and crosses at will. It already starts with an attack in the first minute when Grant crosses a perfect pass into the box to Sol. Sol is unfortunate to have the ball get stuck under his foot or he could have scored this early in the match. We do not have to wait too long for the first goal however. Joel, who replaces Carlos who is dealing with a toe injury, finds Dom. Dom crushes a shot with the outside of his right foot. The result is a curling ball that seems to not find the net but bending enough to stay on the frame out of the keeper's reach, 0-1 NorthWood! Sixty seconds later it is Solomon who delivers a crack at the goal but his effort explodes off the cross bar. Despite the fact that the Panthers control the play, we do not score again until the 33rd when a ball in the box hits about 72 players before Joel slams the ball home for the 2-0 lead. The only thing the Hornets seem to be able to do is to try and throw the Panthers off their game by playing physical or whatever the next level of that would be. Our center ref, who on Wednesday called every stinking soft foul, now allows just about anything resulting in very inconsistent refereeing. In the second half he would double the confusion by all of a sudden, midway through half number two, going back to calling each soft foul. The good news for the Panthers is that we dominate the Hornets in every aspect that it will have an impact on the eventual result. The Half Time talk focuses on making sure to pressure early and keep finding our wing backs. When Grant puts in goal number three from the right side (0-3 NW), it is clear that the only ones still quasi believing in a Angoal miracle is the Angola bench. The 0-3 feels like a score that is too much for Angola to overcome. Despite Luis missing a PK (that he got after he cut thru the Angola defense into the before getting leveled-61"), it doesn't feel like that has an impact on the game at all. Dom, Luis and Aiden all go thru the Angola defense numerous times like hot knives thru butter. Aiden's second effort to start a solo from the back to the opponent's goal looks to end in a very nice goal but somehow an Angola defender karate kid kicks the ball high off the line. Aiden, however, is determined tonight to get on the scoresheet. In the 76th, Aiden receives the ball from Jack Walter. Aiden's shot finds the net for the final score; 0-4! All field players get to enter the game and if Trace would not have had to go thru a wardrobe change, we probably would have been able to get everyone in. NorthWood's 7th (and Kyle's first as a head coach) Sectional Championship is a fact!!! After 21 shots on goal, NorthWood takes home the Sectional Trophy on a very succesful sports day for NorthWood as girls soccer already beat Angola to win their Sectionals and Mr. Bell's and Coach Mikel's boys and girls X-country teams respectively making it out of Sectionals today. Next up for the 12-5-2 Panthers is a rematch versus Mishawaka Marian this coming Wednesday at 6pm at Wellfield Park!!! It will be the first time in school history that NorthWood has hosted a Boys Soccer Regional Semi Final! Images of the Championship Saturday will be posted later and the schedule for the upcoming week will be posted Monday morning.
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