Cumberland Times-News

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October 22, 2012

Spartans squeezed out of state soccer tourney

From Staff Reports Cumberland Times-News

HAGERSTOWN — The Bishop Walsh Spartans fell to St. Mary’s Ryken, 1-0, in the championship game of the Maryland Independent Schools Soccer Tournament Sunday afternoon at the Hagerstown Soccer Complex.

After a scoreless first half, Matt Kwitowski scored an unassisted goal at 33:12 of the second for the match’s only goal. Ryken outshot BW, 24-10 and had an 8-2 advantage in corner kicks.

Lucas Bruck had 17 saves for the Spartans, while Luke Lebans had five for Ryken.

“The kids played a very talented Ryken team,” said BW coach Joe Rowan, “and they maintained for most of the game. Bruck kept us in the game with numerous great saves and the defenders played well in front of him.

“We had chances, but we just couldn’t put the ball into the back of the net.”

The Spartans advanced to the final Sunday morning with a 3-0 win over St. Maria Goretti.

Haven Mackie scored the first goal at 17:12 of the first half on an assist from William Corson, who scored the second goal unassisted at 13:38 to make it 2-0 at halftime.

Will Giles then scored on an assist from Gordon Hasslinger at 9:36 of the second half to conclude the scoring.

Goretti outshot BW, 22-20, and had a 6-5 edge in corner kicks. Bruck had 19 saves in goal for BW while Drew Catrina had 12 for the Gaels.

“Kenny Nicolas and Chase Aman did a wonderful job with their man-to-man defense on Kevin Proctor,” said Rowan. “Proctor is Goretti’s best player and he’s one of the best players we’ve seen all season. He scored three goals against us earlier in the season and scored two against Fort Hill so we knew what type of player he was.

“When we went to the marking defense, Kenny and Chase alternated guarding him and they did an outstanding job. Lucas Bruck did a good job in goal, stopping everything hit at him, and our midfielders, William Corson and Will Giles stepped up their play and controlled the tempo in the center.”

The Spartans, who entered the weekend with a 13-5 regular-season record, went 1-1-1 in three abbreviated matches in the opening round of the tournament. They played to a 1-1 draw with St. Mary’s Ryken, lost 1-0 to Goretti. Then, trailing Avalon 3-1 early in the second, came back for a 4-3 win.

“I’m very proud of this group of seniors,” said Rowan. “They did a heck of a job getting us back to where we need to be.”

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