A Rare Double Header for Soccer on Future Eagles Night

The girls Varsity team kicked off the action at 4 pm for the first matchup of the day. The Eagles (6-1-3) were set to take on the Howard Lions (8-1). The game started out hot for the Eagles as sophomore Hayley Kim scored a goal into the bottom left of the net only a minute into the game. 

The offense was rocking for the Eagles early. Junior Abby Desena had two shots on goal, one wide left and the other over top. Two great saves by Centennial’s senior goalie Allison Bryman kept the Eagles up a point until the Lions scored two shots in the net in one minute to take the lead 2-1. Another quality shot missed by Desena aided with great defensive stops by junior Kaitlyn McManus  the Eagles to close out the half down 1-2. 

Centennial started the second half almost identical to the first. An early goal, only four minutes in, off the head of junior Abby Hitzelberger tied the game at 2 after a sensational cross by Desena. After two more shots from both Desena and Kim were corralled by the Lions, the score remained tied. Late in the game, a defensive miscommunication by the Eagles allowed a goal for Howard with ten minutes remaining. Centennial tried to push it down the field for one last attempt, but Desena’s cross towards the goal was captured by Howard’s goalie on a dive, and the Eagles fell in a heartbreaker 2-3.

The Eagles held their heads high after the game, knowing this result is just a stepping stone on the road to playoff success. 

“I think the team fought hard during the game,” Hitzelberger said after the game. “It was an unfortunate outcome for a tough contest.”

After the match concluded, the field was rushed with kids, highlighting Future Eagles Night. The children greeted the players on the field and turned some frowns upside down as Centennial’s next generation of students ran around on the field.

Once the future Eagles cleared the turf and the warmups concluded, the Eagles Varsity boys soccer team (5-3-1) was ready to take on last year’s Howard County champions, the Howard Lions (7-1-1). Unlike the girls’ game, this game started well for the opposition. 55 seconds into the match a mistake on a pass by goalie Matt Sedor, senior, allowed Howard to sneak in a slow rolling goal that looked like it was on a trajectory to miss. 

However, giving up one goal for Sedor did not shake him.“I try not to think. It is always better to let instinct take over,” Sedor said. 

The senior goalie would make up for his early mistake, delivering two diving saves in the next fifteen minutes of play, not allowing another goal in the half. 

Offensively in the first half, the Eagles started with two close, but missing, shots off the feet of juniors Ian Radtke and Drew Wilschke. The defensive efforts by Centennial caused a lot of frustration for Howard, eventually earning them a yellow card for excessive talking to the referees. On the other side, the Eagles were able to stay out of their own way, limiting penalties, and making great plays on offense. 

Thirty minutes into the game, senior Ben Fang spun around a defender and passed up-field to Radtke who assisted sophomore Bryan Feng on a shot to the bottom right corner. Feng’s goal tied the game up at one a piece. As the half went on,The Eagles’ gritty defense continued to halt all of the Lions offensive efforts. Offensively, Junior Aaron Cochran delivered a great ball to Wilschke who was able to score with his left foot, allowing the Eagles to enter the half up 2-1.

As the second half went underway, it was more of the same on both sides. Plenty of shots for both teams, but the defensive efforts were through the roof. Great saves on both sides led this game into the final ten minutes. Howard pushed the pace and was awarded a free kick from a penalty called against the Eagles. With only 13 seconds left in the match, the near perfect free kick was booted into a wall of both Eagles and Lions as Howard was able to head the ball in and tie the game 2-2.

Overtime was a dog fight to say the least. Back to back shots by Howard were saved by Sedor, while attempts by Centennial were also stopped short. Wilschke, one of the prominent strikers, was given a yellow card in the period that sent him to the bench. Without one of the key components in their offense, it was tough for the Eagles to start a rally. But with five minutes left in the match, the Eagles had their best chance to end the game with a great shot by Cochran that missed just left and the hard-fought match concluded in a tie, 2-2. 

While both Eagles’ teams came up short of victory, the atmosphere was electric and the performances were just as excellent. Centennial soccer has surely solidified themselves as a force to be reckoned with on the soccer field as they head into playoffs on October 22.

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