KINGWOOD, W.Va. — Fall arrived suddenly and in the form of a steady chilly drizzle Monday night as the Preston High boys’ soccer team battled Trinity, where the Warriors emerged victorious 2-0.
The players kept their energy up — perhaps out of necessity — through a soaking rain in the scoreless first half, until the weather cleared as the second half began. Trinity managed to score early late in the game on its way to the win.
The Warriors (10-6-1) enjoyed a pronounced midfield possession advantage, especially in the first half, and they tested the Knights’ defense. The PHS back wall, anchored by junior Bryson Blosser, maintained its shape and coverage well. When the Warriors beat the trap, outstanding senior goalkeeper and captain J.T. Flores maintained his typical high standard of play, roaring off his line to smother a couple one-on-one breaks and confidently controlling play from the rear.
Trinity finally got a shot by Flores just as the first half clock wound to zero, but an offsides call wiped it off and kept the game scoreless at the break.
At halftime, as the weather finally broke, a pink sky and rainbow appeared, an appropriate accompaniment to a touching ceremony honoring the memory of former Knights goalkeeper Johnny Croskie, who passed away this spring.
Preston (0-12) began the second half with its best stretch of soccer of the match, finally finding feet with its passes and turning some effective build-up through the midfield into a dangerous shot on goal (turned away by senior Trinity goalkeeper Fletcher Hartsock, who kept his sheet clean by registering six saves) and a flurry of corner kicks.
The offensive thrust didn’t last. A counter attack by the Warriors turned into the deciding goal of the match. Sophomore Gabe Turak, swift and strong on the ball all night, collected a loose ball from 25 yards out and lofted a turning right-footed shot that sailed over Flores’s reach, struck the inside of the crossbar, dropped down and just barely crossed the goal line only to spin back out.
There was some initial confusion on the call, since the ball never contacted the netting, but the linesman was in good position to call it a goal. Fortified by its 1-0 lead, Trinity continued to press offensively
A handful of promising Preston counter attacks concluded with disappointing final strikes that missed the cage. In the 59th minute, a dangerous Turak corner kick floated into the box and ended up in the back of the net off a Knights defender to give the Warriors a 2-0 lead.
The own goal by PHS would close out the scoring in the game.
Disappointed Preston coach Josh Russell was perplexed by his team’s performance.
“I don’t understand it,” he said with a rueful smile. “That was by far the worst soccer we’ve played all season. We had a few chances but didn’t really give ourselves a good chance to convert any of them, and we gave up far more than we earned.”
As for Trinity coach Chad Laskody, three wins over Class AAA teams this season has been a pleasant surprise for his inexperienced team.
“We have five first-year players out there, three of them on defense,” he grinned. “So we’re thrilled with how well we’re working together out there. I’m especially pleased with how the defense hustled back and had the recognition to help when Preston broke us down. We knew it was going to be a close match, and we thought if we could find a way to get one or two past their excellent keeper, we’d have a chance.”
