Northview Titans Varsity Boys Game Summary
Northview v. Peachtree Ridge, 1-0
March 11th
Game conditions: 46 degrees, 25 mph wind at game time 8:00pm
The Titans netted one first half goal and held the Lions scoreless this night, to emerge 1-0 winners while controlling the game, yet having to stay alert on defense until the 80th minute to assure their victory.
These Lions couldn't find a weak member of the Titan squad to attack, and the Northview eleven controlled the play for much of the match. They But the Lions got the first shot on goal, in the first minute from 23 yards out on the left, a fast roller which Titan keeper BJ Luksis collected and controlled. Then it was the offense and the midfield for Northview that set the pace for the next several minutes, with Sayeed Mehrjerdian, Andrew Cameron and Josh Carter working crossing passes and taking shots from within 5 to 25 yards of the goal, all developed after the midfield shut down the Lions time and again. One of Cameron's harder shots was deflected by a Lion defender just wide of the post, for a Northview corner.
Meanwhile, the Lions were unable to get close to Luksis, who collected long errant passes dropped in from 40 yards, or watched shots from 35 sail over the bar. Luksis had one nifty save on a header from the Lions at the 11th minute from 15 yards. When the Lions did get in to the offensive corners, Brian Colyer, Andrew Stoniecki and Cameron Pratt either cleared, drew fouls from the Lions as they shielded balls headed for the end line, or took possession and drove up the touch lines to renew the Titan attack. Pratt worked both ends of the field, trying a header in the Lions penalty area from 15 yards that was saved.
Alex Alonso set up the Titans' score at the 33rd minute, with a long cross in to Andrew Cameron at 20 yards at the penalty arc. Cameron's first shot was blocked by a defender, but he collected it, went two steps in and left and drilled a left footer low past the Lions keeper for a Northview GOAL.
The two teams traded tripping fouls in the last five minutes of the half, and Northview took their lead into the break.
It was all Northview for the first ten minutes of the second half, with lots of possession but only one close shot by AJ Johnson at 10 yards from the left post, which Peachtree Ridge's keeper saved. The Lions' first serious threat came in the 51st minute with a hard line drive shot from 22 yards. But Luksis took at chest height, making it look easy.
Stephen Gulia kept the Lions out and restarted the Titan offense, with headers throughout the period. At 53 minutes, Jimmy Mitchell was next to shut down the Lions, blocking a shot at 15 yards, and then collecting the ball to clear. In the next five minutes, the Lions' offense tried and missed high from 25 yards, took a long arcing shot from midfield that Luksis pulled in, and also earned a corner kick, but couldn't use it their advantage as the Titans cleared well.
With the Titans driving on offense again, Jeremy Stille from 30 yards found Stoniecki who was making a run down the right side. But then Stille was taken to the turf, and a tripping foul was called on the Lions rather than advantage given, and the Titan fans were heard from.
When the Lions regained the offense, Colyer and Stille cleared to prevent scoring opportunities. After another Lions tripping call, the free kick came in to Cameron, who led to Mitchell inside 10 yards, but Mitchell was called offside.
With only five minutes in the match, the Lions were stymied again on their attempt to gain a tie, by Colyer clearing from within 7 yards of goal. After the throw in, as Luksis came out near the edge of the penalty area to ensure no further scoring chance for the opponents, a frustrated Lion attacker ran down both Mitchell and Luksis in the Northview penalty area. Colyer cleared one more time for the Titans. The Lions put one final shot on goal at the 78th minute, a hard line drive from 25 yards that Luksis held firm on.
With just one minute remaining, Cameron committed a foul at midfield, and then was brought to the turf, being on the receiving end of an extremely hard push. The unsportsmanlike Lion found himself on the receiving end of a yellow card. On the restart, the Lions dropped in a long shot from 35 yards, and Luksis came out to 15 yards for the catch, wrapping up the night and allowing the Titans to notch another win.
