Game 15: Bring Washburn Rural to Town

14 October 2014 Washburn Rural at STA (2-1 2OT'S)

Well you have to think Washburn Rural will play BV Northwest for the state title next month. Rural arrived as a 1-loss team (only to Chaminade the #1 team in the region) a Top 15 team in the country who just a week ago was ranked #7 in the US.

And they are very good, with some special players to dot the field with as well. But honestly, I thought we put together our best match of the year.  We outshot a big, physical team who closed space so quickly by a margin of 26 to 6. Now granted 3 or 4 or those shots were pretty dangerous, but quite a few of our 26 shots (only 8 on goal, though) were dangerous.

Luke Kutey was a man among boys out there just owning the right baseline as he just blew by their left back and their central defender time and time again. In fact he did play the game-winning cross as well as dummy the tying cross from Geist. Luke was very aggressive with his shot tonight, launching several near-misses.

And Geist just battled all match in the center of the field besides making the overlap to the outside to cross that game-tying ball. BWhite named Danny and Luke as the Co-BWhite Players of the Match. 

But as I suggested early this was a total team win against one of the best teams in the country and one of the two or three 6A favorites.  It was just a great win. We thought Rural was great defensively, in goal and throughout the back line.  Our first corner of the second half became a Bartlett smoke-job just inside the front post, but Rural had the post covered and the kid made a very nice clear.

The first 80 minutes ended in thrilling fashion with us running a corner kick as time expired. We have been working on doing a better job in our back-on situations, and we did well here. The game could have ended with the buzzer going off. (Check it out!)

And how about Golden-Goal Jay Johnston for yet another extra-time victory. He actually kept his shirt on through the entire celebration, yet still got yellow-carded as he just had to salute Schermoly.

STATS: First Half:  Saints: Shots: 9 (0) Corners: 5 (Nilsen 2, Kutey, Johnston, Bartlett)

Junior Blues: Shots: 1 (1) Corners: 1

24:40 Halsey (Long throw gets mis-cleared coming back towards the middle of the goal)

Second Half/Overtime: Saints: Shots: 17 (8) 9 (4); 7 (3) 1 (1) Corners: 2 (Johnston, Kutey)

35:35 Bartlett (Geist t-ball through the Kutey dummy)

6:30 2 OT Johnston (Kutey t-ball dummied by Bartlett)

Junior Blues: Second Half/Overtime: 5 (2); 2 (1); 1 (1) Corners: 2