Northview Titans Varsity Boys Game Summary

Mill Creek vs. Northview, 3-6
March 22nd

Game conditions: 58 degrees at game time 8:15pm

There's the score, and then there's the game that was played. The Titans won easily on the scoreboard 6 - 3, yet even in the last ten minutes of the match, there was that uneasiness that the Mill Creek Hawks weren't going down without a fight.

Four Titans put the ball in the net this night, and the defense and midfielders limited the Hawks easy scoring chances. As usual, Titan keeper BJ Luksis made some timely saves on the opponents' open scoring chances. But this night had some extras.

Like a 3 goal night by Jeff Scannella at 22, 31 and 51 minutes. Like the Titans first header into the net this season. Like a gymnastics move by Luksis that captivated the fans (and another interesting move that led to a PK for the opponents, but that's for the players to share).

The Titans dominated with ball control for the first several minutes, often in front of the Hawks goal, but nothing could find the net. Only one defensive lapse at 14 minutes gave the Hawks a clear shot, but the ball that was struck from 20 yards went wide left. At 18 minutes, David Cantor was the first to notch a score, as he took the last of a flurry of shots from close in, and the Titans led 1 - 0.

The Hawks speedy striker would prove troublesome the whole match, and he found a chance right after the Titans score, but shot high and wide to the right from 15 yards. After both teams traded pushing and tripping fouls, the Titans again were playing the ball in the Hawks half of the field when Scannella struck at 22 minutes for the first of his three goals. He drove a low shot from the left side of the penalty area and six yards out past the Mill Creek keeper to just inside the far post. Titans up 2 - 0.

Four minutes later, Mill Creek drove into the left corner with solid passing, crossed into the box, and found the Northview goal with a header back to the lower left corner. The Titans lead was cut to 2 - 1. Throughout the match, Colyer, Gulia and Stoniecki cleared balls with headers or returns to midfield, and over the touch line if needed. Then at 28 minutes, Jeremy Stille crossed from 20 yards on the right to Scannella at 8 yards out, whose shot was saved but bobbled out over the end line by the Hawks keeper. Three minutes later, the Hawks defense fouled Scannella in an effort to keep him from the net, but they did it at 16 yards. The resulting penalty kick was drilled low left by Jeff for his second score. Titans pull out to 3 - 1.

Mill Creek collected the first of two yellow cards when a defender thought a second push was needed after being whistled for a foul to Tanner Chamblin. As the Hawks pulled together some offense in the last 8 minutes of the half, Luksis made two fine saves; one, as Mill Creek put a head on an incoming corner at 5 yards, then again later a leaping save on a shot toward the top of the net from 22 yards on the left. The half ended with the Titans unable to up their two goal lead, even though Chamblin took a quick shot from 30 yards that went just high and to the right and, after regaining possession following the goal kick, AJ Johnson took a well placed feed from Andrew Cameron at 25 yards, and went low but left of the goal.

The Titans' early minutes of the second half saw passes go long or out over the touch line, with the only early chance to score after a trip to Scannella gave the Titans a free kick at 30 yards. Josh Carter's shot off the free kick was handled by the keeper.

The Hawks had renewed energy, and kept moving the ball to their speed man up front. Stephen Gulia had to clear for a corner kick, on one attempt by the striker to circle in from the right corner. Off that corner kick, a Northview foul at 25 yards out was followed by a quick restart that went into the goal but was called back. The restart free kick curved over the Titan four man wall, and Luksis saved without difficulty. The pace was quick and it seemed to be all red jerseys in the Titan half of the field, with BJ Luksis making one save on a shot from 10 yards, and on the Hawks next drive downfield, Luksis charging out 35 yards off his line to clear the ball.

The Hawks closed the gap to 3 - 2 one minute later as their striker had room at 20 yards out on the right. Luksis came out to close the angle, and Mill Creek's man was able to toss a shot behind the keeper into the net.

With determination, the Titans swung momentum back their way only two minutes later. Jeff Scannella took a one on one situation into 12 yards, then blasted one toward the net. Mill Creek's keeper punched it over the bar for a corner kick, and Northview fouled on the incoming corner. Recapturing the ball, the Titan midfield passed it again to Scannella at the top left corner of the penalty area. There was no doubt on this shot, as it rode a line drive arc from Scannella's foot to one yard inside the far post and puffed out the net, and the Titans' lead, to 4 - 2.

Northview attacked again, with Alex Alonso putting a corner kick into David Cantor at 5 yards. His shot was blocked out for another corner. Stille got possession, but the Hawks defense was able to stop the Titans for the next few minutes. After a Northview foul at midfield, a lone Hawk closed in on a ball dropped in to the right side, but Luksis came out to the edge of the penalty area to slide and cover up before a shot could occur. Both teams traded end to end passing, then at 59 minutes, Cameron put the ball into the corner for Sayeed Mehrjerdian, whose crossing pass in was blocked out for a corner kick. A header from the corner kick was saved by the Mill Creek keeper. Three minutes later, the scene repeated itself after Scannella's shot from ten yards was blocked out over the end line. But this time incoming corner toward the far post was headed by Brian Colyer back across the box, and Jeremy Stille nailed it with another header into the goal, for Northview's fifth score of the night.* Titans 5 - 2, with 18 minutes remaining.

Northview and Mill Creek played physical for a while after that, and Scannella was called for a foul as he dribbled in, shoulder to shoulder, one on one, to within 15 yards. Tripping and holding calls came rapidly between 65 and 75 minutes of play. Despite that, the play remained exciting, with Mill Creek's keeper coming out 20 yards in the 70th minutes to stop the Titan attack. But the ball remained with the Titans and a shot to an open net was blocked on the goal line by an alert Hawk defender. The Hawks came back to the Titan end of the field, and got a shot off from 30 yards, but missed to the right.

As the Titans penetrated one more time to Hawk territory, Mehrjerdian shot from 25 yards, and it was cleared by the defense for a Northview corner kick. Tanner Chamblin met the incoming ball with a fine header, and the Mill Creek keeper made an equally fine save.

Mill Creek fouled again when play resumed, and the Titans punished the keeper with a flurry of shots from close in. The keeper stopped all the shots that came off the rebounds, except the fourth one, which Jimmy Mitchell claimed as the Titans' sixth goal of the match at 74 minutes. Titans stretch to 6 - 2.

Mill Creek drove hard into the Titans half, trying to make something happen. Luksis rushed out to 18 yards and stopped dead as he grabbed the ball, balanced perfectly on the stripe. The Hawks regained possession, then lost the ball to Andrew Stoniecki. As he brought the ball up the line, the referee called a foul and displayed the yellow card as an elbow was spotted at head height to Stoniecki. After the free kick Northview committed a foul, and the Hawks passed in. They found an opening on the left side and a single Hawk closed in on the pass at the top left corner of the penalty area. Luksis came out to challenge, got the ball -- and the man -- and the Hawks were awarded a penalty kick. They converted and posted the final score of the night. The match ended Titans 6 - Hawks 3.

* - "Two heads are better than one" -- a Titan mom