Calvert Hall's Callum Krach looks on as a teammate prepares to boot the ball against Loyola Blakefield. (Staff photo by Todd Spoth)
Calvert Hall boots Loyola Blakefied in overtime
'Pinball' goal tilts match toward Cardinals on home turf
By Craig Clary
Posted 10/10/08
Boys high school soccer
In the span of a couple of games, Calvert Hall sophomore Zach Wenger has gone from being a central back on defense to a pinball wizard up front.
Just 76 seconds into overtime, the defender-turned-midfielder provided the game-winning goal after corralling a ball served into the box that bounced off a pair of Loyola Blakefield defenders.
With his back to the goal, Wenger flicked the ball from his right to his left foot, spun and shot from 11 yards out in a 2-1 sudden-death victory over the Dons
.
“The ball was just kind of bouncing around there and I just got a good touch on it and finished it,” said Wenger about the ball sent in from the wing by senior Makala Hairston. “It just kind of happened. I was in the right place at the right time.”
Cardinal fans should give thanks to Calvert Hall coach Andy Moore, who moved Wenger to midfield in an attempt to generate more offense for an anemic Cardinal attack.
“We are struggling to score goals, so you get to overtime and hope that its going to come — and it did,” Moore said. “That’s a play we try to run and hopefully somebody gets to the pinball in the box.”
According to Loyola coach Lee Tschantret, his team’s pinball-machine psyche was on tilt.
“That’s been our season,” he said. “It just bounced around. It was a pinball goal.”
The loss dropped the Dons (2-6-2) into seventh place in the Maryland Interscholastic Athletic Association A Conference while third-place Calvert Hall (5-3-3, 6-3-3) improved its playoff prospects.
Loyola finally broke through with seven minutes left in the first half on a header by Jimmy Deasal inside the far post. The play was set up on a beautiful long ball from Matt Jablonski that Pat Doyle outran to the corner and crossed over the goal mouth for the assist.
Stellar Loyola defense in support of goalie Tim Peitsch from wing backs Alex Flick and Alex Zauner, sweeper Nick Krotchta and central back Kevin Shields gave the hosts very few scoring chances in the first half. Hairston’s high shot and a soft bicycle kick on goal by Yianni Sarioglou were the best chances in the first 20 minutes. Flick was especially stingy by making key plays to thwart Calvert Hall runs.
“I usually do (a) sliding tackle to stop them when I can,” the Phoenix resident said.
The Dons maintained their 1-0 lead until the Cardinals set up for a free kick with around 30 seconds left in the first half. Trevor Wittman’s perfect ball to the near post curled to sophomore Pete Caringi, who touched it in with 14 seconds left.
“That was huge,” Moore said. “We are a team struggling to score goals and, if we go in at halftime losing, 1-0, our spirits are pretty low. To get that one in the final minute gives you a little momentum going into the second half.”
But it was the Dons who regained the momentum and nearly broke the stalemate with 28:10 left.
That’s when Deasal’s shot off Doug Adjei’s pass was blocked by charging Calvert Hall keeper Chris Madden and cleared by Craig Schuchart. A minute later, Dave Phillips’ 25-yard direct kick was turned away by Madden on a one-handed save.
“The keeper made two great saves,” Tschantret said. “He made an unbelievable reaction save and the bounce goes right to them.”
“We came back strong in the second half,” said Flick. “We had some more opportunities, but we just couldn’t put the ball in the net.”
Calvert Hall defenders Steve Hastings, Brandon George, Wittman and Schuchart and midfielders Jason McFadden, James Shock, Matt Metrick, Daniel Baxter and Wenger made sure of that.
“I’ve been coaching varsity for 11 years and its doesn’t matter where you are in the league standings — Calvert Hall and Loyola is always a close match,” Moore said. “You get out of there with a win any way you can.”
In the span of a couple of games, Calvert Hall sophomore Zach Wenger has gone from being a central back on defense to a pinball wizard up front.
Just 76 seconds into overtime, the defender-turned-midfielder provided the game-winning goal after corralling a ball served into the box that bounced off a pair of Loyola Blakefield defenders.
With his back to the goal, Wenger flicked the ball from his right to his left foot, spun and shot from 11 yards out in a 2-1 sudden-death victory over the Dons
.
“The ball was just kind of bouncing around there and I just got a good touch on it and finished it,” said Wenger about the ball sent in from the wing by senior Makala Hairston. “It just kind of happened. I was in the right place at the right time.”
Cardinal fans should give thanks to Calvert Hall coach Andy Moore, who moved Wenger to midfield in an attempt to generate more offense for an anemic Cardinal attack.
“We are struggling to score goals, so you get to overtime and hope that its going to come — and it did,” Moore said. “That’s a play we try to run and hopefully somebody gets to the pinball in the box.”
According to Loyola coach Lee Tschantret, his team’s pinball-machine psyche was on tilt.
“That’s been our season,” he said. “It just bounced around. It was a pinball goal.”
The loss dropped the Dons (2-6-2) into seventh place in the Maryland Interscholastic Athletic Association A Conference while third-place Calvert Hall (5-3-3, 6-3-3) improved its playoff prospects.
Loyola finally broke through with seven minutes left in the first half on a header by Jimmy Deasal inside the far post. The play was set up on a beautiful long ball from Matt Jablonski that Pat Doyle outran to the corner and crossed over the goal mouth for the assist.
Stellar Loyola defense in support of goalie Tim Peitsch from wing backs Alex Flick and Alex Zauner, sweeper Nick Krotchta and central back Kevin Shields gave the hosts very few scoring chances in the first half. Hairston’s high shot and a soft bicycle kick on goal by Yianni Sarioglou were the best chances in the first 20 minutes. Flick was especially stingy by making key plays to thwart Calvert Hall runs.
“I usually do (a) sliding tackle to stop them when I can,” the Phoenix resident said.
The Dons maintained their 1-0 lead until the Cardinals set up for a free kick with around 30 seconds left in the first half. Trevor Wittman’s perfect ball to the near post curled to sophomore Pete Caringi, who touched it in with 14 seconds left.
“That was huge,” Moore said. “We are a team struggling to score goals and, if we go in at halftime losing, 1-0, our spirits are pretty low. To get that one in the final minute gives you a little momentum going into the second half.”
But it was the Dons who regained the momentum and nearly broke the stalemate with 28:10 left.
That’s when Deasal’s shot off Doug Adjei’s pass was blocked by charging Calvert Hall keeper Chris Madden and cleared by Craig Schuchart. A minute later, Dave Phillips’ 25-yard direct kick was turned away by Madden on a one-handed save.
“The keeper made two great saves,” Tschantret said. “He made an unbelievable reaction save and the bounce goes right to them.”
“We came back strong in the second half,” said Flick. “We had some more opportunities, but we just couldn’t put the ball in the net.”
Calvert Hall defenders Steve Hastings, Brandon George, Wittman and Schuchart and midfielders Jason McFadden, James Shock, Matt Metrick, Daniel Baxter and Wenger made sure of that.
“I’ve been coaching varsity for 11 years and its doesn’t matter where you are in the league standings — Calvert Hall and Loyola is always a close match,” Moore said. “You get out of there with a win any way you can.”
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