By: Garrett Mitchell, Staff Writer | garrett@thewoodrufftimes.com
In a game in which the only two goals of regulation were scored on penalty kicks, it was only fitting that it would be penalty kicks that propelled the Woodruff boys’ soccer team past top-five ranked Greer Middle College Charter.
After 80 minutes of regulation play ended in a 1-1 tie, and two scoreless five-minute overtime periods, both teams took five penalty kicks with the best of five winning, and it was the Wolverines who came out on top as keeper Alex Garcia turned away the Blazers’ final shot to touch off a wild celebration at Woodruff’s soccer stadium.
“We talked at the halfway mark about playing the next 40 (minutes) and after regulation about playing the next 10,” said Woodruff head coach Aaron Chappell. “We talked after (overtime) that we have to be the most consistent team. We managed to do that tonight.”
The Wolverines got on the board first with a penalty kick midway through the first half. After being fouled on a shot attempted in the box, Carlos Garcia calmly fired home the first goal of the game. A 1-0 Woodruff lead that would remain until the final 15 minutes of regulation. Greer Middle College was awarded a penalty kick after a controversial foul against the Wolverines, making their try, and knotting the score 1-1. Regulation play would end in that deadlock.
After 10 minutes of overtime play, that saw Garcia turn away several point-blank shots from the Blazers, both sides picked their best five shooters to go one-on-one with the opposing keeper to decide the game between two heavyweights.
“I believe it was fitting that it came down to penalty kicks,” said Woodruff senior Tavo Bastos. “All week long, we’ve been talking about being consistent. We were anticipating a tough game, and they gave it to us.”
The Wolverines shot first, but it was erased by the Blazers’ keeper. Greer Middle College, conversely, made their first shot to take an early advantage in the shootout. But Woodruff would connect on the final four shots with Juan Pineda, Max Perez, and Carlos Garcia finding the back of the net in order. Alex Garcia snuffed out the second attempt by the Blazers, and with each side preparing for their final attempt, both teams had made three out of four.
It would come down to one attempt, and the Wolverines’ star, Bastos, took aim.
Tavo, who had an earlier penalty kick blocked with two minutes remaining in regulation, got the equalizer. He blasted a shot into the left corner of the net past the keeper, and Greer Middle College had one crack at it to keep the contest alive. But Garcia would have none of it.
Woodruff’s steady-handed keeper guessed right on the attempt, a shot to the left, and swatted the ball down with one hand, sending the crowd and the Wolverines into a frenzy as the players rushed across the field to the stands to celebrate.
“If I let them (score) then their keeper gets another chance,” Garcia said. “We’re trying to finish the region undefeated and we had to keep it on track. This feels great but we have to keep on pushing through and keep it going.”
Bastos added, “I just had to do my job. Put pressure on them and finish out.”
The game itself was a culmination of how much work the players, led by Chappell, have put into reviving the program over the past three seasons. Greer Middle College came into the game ranked #4 in Class 3A while the Wolverines were ranked #9. Woodruff followed up the win with an 8-0 drubbing of Mountain View Prep, improving their record to 9-1 and 4-0 in conference play.
“Neither team was willing to budge at all,” Chappell said. “I think in our case we probably had two or three good chances that we probably should have buried and we didn’t. But that’s part of the game. It’s all about the next play and we’ve been preaching that for three years now. That’s exactly what they said to each other after every moment we responded with. Next play, and that’s exactly what we did here tonight.”
Author: gmitchell85
