Northview Titans Varsity Boys Game Summaries
Northview v. Centennial 0-1
April 14th, 2006
Expectations were high for an exciting game, as the Titans traveled to the Knights’ home turf. The battle lasted all 80 minutes, with the Knights scoring the lone goal of the match in the 64th minute. Both teams displayed their heavy senior talent, and Northview’s underclassmen performed superbly as well with defensive skills, as the score attests.
The Knights began attacking in the first minute, with long crossing passes played into space. The first Titan foul in the 2nd minute gave Stephen Gulia the chance to show his header skills yet again, this time blocking a free kick from 35 yards at 20 yards out. Keeper Will Whorton swung low to block a shot from 20 yards one minute later after a throw-in from 25 yards. The Knights pressured again in a 3 on 2 after using pure speed to beat one defender, but Jeff Scannella moved in to steal the crossing pass.
As the Titans got some offensive movement in the 6th minute, AJ Johnson was fouled at 25 yards on the left side, and Scannella went over a 3 man wall with the free kick, missing just a yard over the crossbar. After Sayeed Mehrjerdian fouled at midfield, the Knights dropped in a long kick to 10 yards, and Whorton came to punch it far to the right side. Both teams traded fouls nearly every minute for the next few minutes, but neither could use a set play to their advantage. As the Knights rushed forward again, a Titan pushing foul created an excellent opportunity with a free kick at 40 yards in the center of the field. A sharp header at 10 yards off the free kick was aimed for inside the right post, until Whorton leapt to punch it out, giving Centennial a corner kick, which Will fielded cleanly.
From 16 to 22 minutes, the Titans were back on their heels, but adapting, to shut down the Knights’ attacks before they got within 30 yards. From that distance, the Knights kept shooting on goal, and keeper Whorton kept going up high for saves.
Suddenly, the Titan offense came alive. A solid attack yielded no shots, but Cameron Pratt won a corner kick on the right. The incoming kick was blocked out for a second corner, and Stephen Glover was called for handling, ending the Northview push, but only momentarily. Just a minute later at 27 minutes, Scannella was fouled and the first yellow card of the match was shown to the guilty Knight. The Titans were flagged offside at 10 yards on the free kick from 40 yards. Mario Perazza led the next charge, driving in to the right corner. His crossing pass was blocked out for another Titan corner kick, but the Titans got no shot on that play.
Jeremy Stille and Sam Bevan teamed up to repel the next Centennial attacks, out at 40 yards. The Knights finally shot from 35 yards, and a screamer had to be punched over the crossbar by keeper Whorton. Then Whorton again handled the corner kick by coming out to snare it. Brandon McCollum stood up the Knights at midfield next, completely shutting down another attempt to attack. But the Knights were relentless, and came right back, shooting from 25 yards but failing wide right.
Playing with some pain, Andrew Cameron pulled out a trick he’s used often this year. At the receiving end of a Sam Bevan free kick, Cam’s header from 10 yards was on target, but the Centennial keeper hauled it in for the save. At 39 minutes, Cam had a promising one-on-one at midfield, until his shirt got stretched about 2 feet too far by a beaten Knight. The free kick went long into the penalty area, the keeper caught it and the teams heard the whistle for the end of the first half soon after, giving them a short breather.
The Knights gave Whorton more of the long shot approach as the second half commenced, and the Titan keeper was up to the challenge, snaring the first shot as he came out 8 yards. After Scannella was tripped at midfield, Bevan’s crossing free kick was headed by Jeremy Stille to AJ Johnson at 6 yards, who tried to play it back out to Scannella rushing into the penalty area. The Knights defense broke it up before damage could be done. At 45 minutes, three Titan fouls in quick succession led to a sharp strike past a two man wall, that went out wide right for a goal kick.
At 47 minutes, Tanner Chamblin tackled well to break up an attack, and Bevan followed with a header to clear away yet another pass sent into open space. Stephen Gulia and Bevan repeated the drill again and again, shutting down the Knights passing. Jeremy Stille maneuvered into a one on one at 51 minutes, but couldn’t get a clean shot, and both players went down at 18 yards.
In the Titans next drive, Scannella found AJ Johnson on the left, who went in to 40 yards and then crossed for Stille making a run at 15 yards. Centennial’s keeper read it just right, and won the race for the ball at the top of the penalty area. As the Knights regrouped, a sharp cross from 20 yards led to a hard drilled shot that Whorton was able to parry down to his feet, then control.
At 59 minutes, with still no score, both teams knew that a single mistake could spell serious trouble. The Knights reacted to Scannella getting open at midfield with a bear hug hold from behind that raised the yellow card in the official’s hand, as Andrew Cameron was holding himself onside waiting to break in. That free kick produced no result for the Titans. Northview found the attack again a minute later, but got the ball stolen on fine play by Centennial’s defense. The Titans continued ball control, yet couldn’t manage a shot in several minutes. Scannella was fouled again near midfield, and again Bevan’s free kick came in to set up the attack, but the keeper stepped up to 12 yards to clear before Andrew Cameron could make contact.
The Knights finally struck in the 64th minute, after a crossing shot from 15 yards on the right came in to 6 yards. Whorton saved the first shot, but a quick rebound found the net and the Knights led 1 – 0. It was far from over, though.
When Stephen Glover got fouled at midfield, Chamblin’s free kick came in to 12 yards and Mehrjerdian got his head on it, but the flicked shot went out wide left. After Will Whorton saved another hard shot from 30 yards, the clearing kick came to midfield, Scannella went up against a Knight on a jump and got called for the foul in a disputed play. The referee didn’t take long to stop coach Tony Cianciola’s on-field dispute, by administering a yellow card as his response. The resulting Knights free kick came in to 12 yards, a fine header shot went down low and Whorton stopped it with a dive, catch and roll exhibition.
After Glover was tripped at midfield yet again, Stephen Gulia launched a free kick and a defending Knight’s early rush was signaled with a yellow card for not allowing the required 10 yards distance. Gulia’s restart kick for Andrew Cameron on a run in to the box was too long. The Knights came back with their own attack, another shot from 35 yards, which Whorton caught as he rushed out to 12 yards.
At 69 minutes, Cameron used his strength to launch a throw-in from 30 yards left for Andrew Stoniecki making a run at 15 yards, but the keeper stepped up to intercept. The Titans continued pressing, stopping Centennial and regaining the ball with two very impressive slide tackles, first by Andrew Cameron at midfield, then by Sam Bevan in a truly great show of hustle. A moment later, as Bevan controlled the ball, a Knight slid in with cleats up and took down Sam, but paid for it with a yellow card. AJ Johnson was knocked off the ball at midfield, and just seconds later, he was whistled for a foul and shown a red card in challenging a Centennial attacker in the center of the field.
With 5 minutes left in the match, the Knights pressed forward and Whorton came out to 12 yards to absolutely smother a crossing pass from the right side at 15 yards. As the clock ticked relentlessly, Scannella was fouled at midfield on yet another hold, but the Titans couldn’t make the free kick work for them. Regaining possession one last time, Stoniecki fed Scannella from midfield, who worked it from the 25, but the Knights cleared for a throw-in. Andrew Cameron tried to work the magic one last time, and his throw found an open Titan that took the header, but it went high, and the battle was over.
Writer’s postscript:
I have delighted in writing up summaries of the varsity boys’ contests the past two seasons, and thank you for this outlet for my enjoyment of each match. It has been my intent to provide any Titan fan that couldn’t attend, and those fans that wanted to relive the game in words, a bit of fun and drama, and perhaps something to brag about occasionally. I approached my task with a fan’s perspective toward the Titans that played the game so hard, trying to highlight our young men’s skills and successes without ignoring the realities of each match. It was hard to have to write about the less flattering moments that made a difference in the outcome of a game, or that most would consider important actions, when they may have shone a light where we wish as fans that we did not have to revisit. My apologies to those of you who found any factual errors; they were unintended, to be sure. My thanks to those of you that spoke up – your comments always were appreciated, and helped me write with more care.
Coach, thanks for letting all of us parents “listen in from behind the bench” after so many games, to your words of encouragement and character-building that you directed toward our athletes.
Go TITANS !
