Thursday, May 21, 2009
4-OT loss tough to take for Alleghany boys soccer
Lord Botetourt survives a marathon against Alleghany, while Northside tops Byrd. | Blue Ridge boys soccer semifinals | Lord Botetourt 1, Alleghany 0, 4OT | Northside 2, William Byrd 0
JEANNA DUERSCHERL The Roanoke Times
Northside's Ryan Palmieri attacks the William Byrd goal during Wednesday's Blue Ridge District semifinal. The Vikings won 2-0.
Northside's Sean Joyner (left) tries to beat William Byrd's Phillip Gilmore for a loose ball during the first half of Wednesday's game.
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One mistake.
That's all it took to end one team's season and send another to the next round of the district playoffs.
In the fourth overtime of his team's Blue Ridge District tournament showdown with Lord Botetourt, Alleghany captain Eric Bartocci had the ball ricochet off his foot and sail toward his own goal.
Mountaineer goalkeeper Andy Shepard slipped, and the ball bounced into the back of the net, giving the Cavaliers a 1-0 victory and a spot in Friday's championship game.
Alleghany (7-8-1), which won just one district game during the regular season, gave the Cavaliers all they wanted.
Shepard, who played even with last year's all-district goalie, Lord Botetourt's Ben Eanes, made a pair of saves on point-blank volleys and several more in heavy traffic.
"This was his absolute best defensive effort all year," Alleghany coach Brian Berry said when asked of Shepard's performance. "To close out like that, I know it's got him upset, but I don't think he could have played a better game."
The Cavaliers missed an opportunity to end the game in the third overtime, when a long throw-in sailed through the goal box and past several Lord Botetourt players.
Alleghany cleared the ball and eventually found a streaking Justin Clark, who was all alone the other way.
However, Clark was called offsides, and the teams continued to a fourth overtime.
Shepard, who said the pressure he felt continued to mount as the game drug on, was devastated with the final outcome.
"After playing like that, it's so hard to lose," Shepard said. "With a goal like that, it just takes all your hopes and aspirations away."
Lord Botetourt (12-3-1), which clinched a spot in the Region III tournament by winning the regular season crown, next plays Northside, which earned its regional spot with a 2-0 win over William Byrd in the second game of the night.
With 18 minutes left before halftime, Ryan Palmieri netted the Vikings' first goal into the left corner of the box.
"I knew it was good," said Palmieri, who also scored Northside's other goal. "It just felt right, and Dane [Ferguson] was giving me great passes all night."
Ferguson recorded the assist on Palmieri's second goal, which came in the second half.
After losing 9-0 on the Terriers' home field earlier this season, Northside won the second matchup at home 1-0. This one got physical in the last 15 minutes.
While setting up a Northside free kick, Ferguson got a yellow card for kicking the ball at a Byrd player.
Palmieri followed with two yellow cards of his own. Under VHSL rules, he was forced to sit out the closing minutes of the game, but he is eligible to play in Friday's championship contest.
Travis Argenbright of William Byrd (11-6) also received a yellow card -- the fourth of the game.
"The whole year has been a physical year for us, "Northside coach Jody Draper said.
"Every team we have played, we have always got physical with them and they have got physical with us."
Although the Vikings (8-6-1) are in the regional, Draper knows that won't matter.
"It will be another tough, physical game," Draper said.
Northside hosts Lord Botetourt for the Blue Ridge District tournament title at 7 p.m. Friday.
