Penalty kicks are an exciting and heartbreaking way to end a soccer match. The Catawba Ridge Copperheads boys’ soccer team have experience both this season.
On Saturday, the Copperheads fell 4-3 on penalty kicks in the Upper State championship to the Riverside Warriors. The teams were tied at two after 110 minutes of soccer before the penalty kicks.
Catawba Ridge head coach Dr. Philip McCarter described the results in a word – heartbreaking.
“It’s a cruel game we love,” he said. “When you have played that long and you have tired legs, anything can happen. You can’t simulate playing 110 minutes in the most grueling game on the planet. It is disappointing. We had chances. In the end, you have to score your goals and we didn’t. This group here was special. It had a lot of the pieces you normally don’t have. I am disappointed for these boys. The ball didn’t bounce our way.”
Riverside was able to get a good look at the goal with a free kick about three minutes into play. The Warriors were able to establish some control.
Catawba Ridge had their chances with Joshua Zawlocki and Jermaine Smith getting good looks at the goal early as well. The Copperheads got two free kicks about midway through the first half, but failed to convert them. Catawba Ridge was able to control possession more as the first half wore on.
Zawlocki had a good header on a cross, but bounced the ball off the bottom of the football goal post in the 24th minute.
Riverside broke through faking out the Copperheads keeper Liam Prendergast to go up 1-0 in the 27th minute. The Warriors had another chance four minutes later bouncing the ball off the top crossbar.
With five minutes left in the first half, Catawba Ridge missed on a free kick and a corner kick off the head of Jeremy White.
The Copperheads got a lucky break right before the half as they got a penalty kick off a handball by Riverside. Zawlocki then buried the ball in the back of the net to tie the match at one heading into the locker room for the half.
The second half started with a more aggressive Riverside team on the attack as they were able to control possession more.
Catawba Ridge’s best chance in the second half came off a corner kick by Camden Gifford, which couldn’t penetrate a crowded box.
The two teams seemed more evenly matched after halftime adjustments. Neither was able to control possession too long as each got shots off, but didn’t convert.
Riverside had a penalty kick about the 65th minute, but Prendergast was able to make the stop. The Warriors were able to take the lead five minutes later with Will Knight’s second goal of the match with 10 minutes remaining.
Just when it seemed that Riverside had the advantage, White curved the ball into the top left corner of the goal two minutes later off a free kick from 31 yards out to tie the match again at 2-2. After the second Copperheads goal, Catawba Ridge was able to control the match better, but couldn’t find the goal again as the match went into overtime.
In overtime, both teams had chances to score, but each keeper was ready to respond. In the second overtime period, a golden goal situation, Prendergast made two big saves. Riverside controlled possession more in the golden goal situation, as they were able to rattle off several shot attempts forcing the match to penalty kicks.
Catawba Ridge finished the season at 16-5 overall. Riverside advances to the state finals on May 24 to face Lucy Beckham.
May 17 Roundup
The Catawba Ridge baseball team beat TL Hanna on the road 6-2 to win the District 2 championship and move onto the Upper State championship next week where they will face the Indian Land Warriors in the best of three series. Game one in that series is Tuesday, May 20 at Indian Land.
Against TL Hanna on Saturday, Jack Provenzano, Bryce Meil and Britton Nash each had two hits. Meil and Provenzano had two RBIs as well. Meil helped his cause pitching a complete game allowing two runs on five hits, while walking one and striking out five. Catawba Ridge improved to 21-8-1 overall.
Mac Banks: mac@fortmillprepsports.com, @fortprep
