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October 27, 2009

Agonizing end to HNS soccer season

By Greg Keim

Northridge’s bad luck in penalty kick shootouts continued Monday.

The unranked Raiders lost, 2-1, to No. 13 Homestead in semifinals of a boys soccer semistate at The Plex in Fort Wayne.

The contest was tied 1-1 at the end of 80 minutes of regulation. Neither team scored in the two 14-minute overtime periods, forcing the shootout.

Both teams made four penalty kicks in the first shootout The second shootout is sudden death.

Homestead junior Kyle Green scored for the Spartans and senior goalkeeper Justin Hanford stopped Northridge’s shot, ending the marathon.

“What a disappointment for the kids,” Northridge coach Todd Woodworth said.

“You always know when you get to this time of the season that a game can go to a shootout. This is the fifth or sixth time in a row our season has ended like this. We went to the 13th shooter in the sectional championship a year ago with Westview. It’s a hard way to lose.”

Homestead coach Paco Castillo said, “Northridge played a great game. I think in the end it came down to our experience. We have eight senior starters and in the end that showed.

“Northridge has a fine team and I have nothing but good things to say about their team and coach.”

Northridge finishes 16-4-2.

Homestead (16-4-1) faces Warsaw (14-4-4) in today’s championship game at 4 p.m. The Warsaw Tigers were a 3-1 winner over Muncie Central in Monday’s other semifinal.

Northridge dominated much of the action in the opening half and took a 1-0 lead in the 17th minute when junior forward Andy Morrison scored, assisted by junior midfielder Luke Virgil.

“We played a great first half,” Woodworth said. “But after we scored, we started to get too defensive instead of playing to win.”

The score remained 1-0 until the Spartans scored in the 68th minute on a goal by senior forward Thomas Ault, assisted by senior forward Keegan Harkenrider.

“After Homestead scored, and in both of the overtimes, we went back to playing to win,” Woodworth said. “We had a person in front of the net late in the game with a great chance to score but didn’t capitalize.”

Homestead took a quick 1-0 lead in the first shootout as senior midfielder Connor McMahon scored and Hanford stopped a Raider try.

The Spartans then went up 2-0 as junior forward Michael Wendlandt scored. Junior forward Andy Morrison scored for the Raiders who trailed 2-1.

Homestead’s attempt by Ault went wide of the net and junior forward Steven Alvarado evened the score 2-2 for the Raiders.

Senior midfielder David Wirtner put Homestead up 3-2 only to have Northridge junior midfielder Lucas Miller tie it 3-3.

Senior defender Ben Hazen put the Spartans back in the lead putting the pressure on Northridge’s final shooter junior defender Joey Salee. The Raider youngster scored, forcing the second shootout.

“The only real strategy is putting your best penalty kickers in there,” Woodworth said.

Northridge’s defense took a hit with 2:16 left in regulation when senior defender Brock King exited with an injury.

“He took a hit and was a little bit fuzzy, but I think he will be OK,” Woodworth said. “He took a similar hit awhile back and missed a couple games.”

Northridge had a 10-6 advantage in shots on goal and Homestead a 7-3 edge in corner kicks.

Hanford made eight keeper saves for the Spartans and junior Derrick Giddens five for the Raiders, including a diving one with 1:15 left to play to force the extra sessions.

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