Bulldogs Down Panthers in Soccer Action

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Published on September 26 2016 1:56 pm
Last Updated on September 26 2016 1:56 pm
Written by Millie Lange

The Effingham St. Anthony High School Bulldogs played host to Pana in an early Saturday morning soccer match and came away with a 5-1 victory.

"We had a sluggish start considering the heat, but Pana came ready and clearly wanted the ball more. We pressured the Tigers a bit in the first few minutes of the game, but Pana was on attack mode, moving the ball to the goal every chance they had pressuring Keeper Alex Beesley. Our defense was able to close all entries and Beesley was able to stop anything that came his way.

"Ryan Kruger had his fair share of moments where he just missed the goal. Finally with only six minutes of play in the half, our defense just missed the clear giving Pana the advantage on a breakaway and a clear shot on goal beating the keeper and going up 1-0 just before the half ended.

"During half I told the boys we contained the team all but six minutes. I wanted us to reflect on why were undefeated and asked who came to play. We jumped into the game, taking them roughly 8.5 minutes to regain control of the game and immediately took over.  In a matter of 7.36 minutes we came back to score four goals back-to-back to take control of the game. Alex Deters took it upon himself to take a loose ball down the right side and cut back middle beating three defenders and the keeper to get the first goal to tie the game at 1-1 at 22:40. That set the tone for us as we began to start turning up the pace and their four goal mark.

"With 24:80 left in the game Alex took a throw in to find Ryan on the bounce for a head ball across from the goalie to go up 2-1. Two minutes later Kruger pickd up a loose ball on the left side and dribbled past three defenders to send a rocket into the goal putting us up 3-1. With only two minutes to work up another push, Alex Deters took another throw in to find Wyatt Lawrence for a volley out of the air to beat the goalie to put us up 4-1.  As we continued to run most of the possession just three minutes from the fourth goal, Ryan, on a breakaway, was fouled and given a free kick from about 20 yards away. He took the kick sending it over the wall and dipped to the left throwing the keeper off and netting our fifth and final goal of the evening all in a 7.36 minute time frame.

"With 11 minutes left in the game, the starters came off the field and the other 11 went in and did a fantastic job of holding Pana off. Wade Wenthe had a few shots that were near misses, and Andy Saba also had a few shots that went just wide of the goal. To witness us coming back from a 1-0 deficit at halftime and turn it up so big and pull off a huge upset is amazing. This just shows how much work these boys have put in this season, how much cardio they have to play a whole first half in the blistering heat and keep the game that close, then come back in the second half with twice as much energy as the first and win the game.

"I am very, very proud of these young men and all they have accomplished thus far.  Today the Bulldogs Defense again stepped up super big, they are just running every team out at every cost. Jon Blanchette, Quinton Milleville, Jacob Zimmerman, Jack Nuxoll have been a solid crew, but Sweeper Chris Heuerman and Keeper Alex Beesley have been the rocks of the defense leading the crew and letting nothing come through. It was a great win to have on my birthday."

The Bulldogs moved to 12-0-3 on the season and will play host again to Arthur/Lovington on Tuesday.