Wildcats Move To 9-2 With Big 7-2 Over St. Marys Flaying Dutchmen

Photos by Matt Lerch (Above) Quinn O’Neil

The Central Clarion Wildcats Boys Soccer team downed the homestanding St. Marys Flying Dutchman 7-2, on Monday (September 23rd). Matt Lerch shares this summary:

The Central Clarion Wildcats Boys Soccer team marched confidently onto the St. Marys’ turf after winning their last contest against North Clarion 10-1. The St. Marys field was undersized and seemed compressed but that didn’t seem to affect the precision passing of the Wildcats’ offense.

Over 10 minutes expired off the clock before the first score was recorded by Wildcat striker Martin Ormeno from an assist by midfielder Thomas Uckert. Wildcats goalie Isaac Lerch was forced to take a hard save to the chest as the Dutchmen answered. With a couple of minutes ticking off, Ormeno scored again with the assist going to right wing Wyatt Boyden. The Dutchmen responded with a shot on Lerch who made a quick hand save on the right post. Wildcats defender Brady Pierce played the whole game with intensity as usual, with his first demonstrable stop coming with a pick pocket steal from a speedy Dutchman right wing. Defender Mason Gourley shut down the opposite side for the Wildcats making consecutive stops against the Dutchmen.

The momentum clearly was in the Wildcats favor when Boyden took the corner kick with an inconceivable “Bend it Like Beckham” score, with the ball bending into the opposite corner of the shot with the visiting crowd erupting in incredulity. Soon after, midfielder Dany Schweitzer took an off balance shot on goal with the Dutchman goalie making a diving save. Lerch was then forced to make two saves within a minute with a diving stop and a stop off a corner kick. Then Lerch was in trouble off a penalty shot on the short field from a strong leg, the ball reaching the goal at the same time as a charging striker, colliding with Lerch in the goalbox and the ball ricocheting off the striker’s chest into the goal. The buzzer at the half blared with the score 3-1 in favor of the Wildcats, still a very tight score.

The Dutchman came out after the halftime pep talk with gusto. Lerch had to make a punch save with the ball coming at high velocity, the ball popping over the goal. Then the corner kick ensued, with Lerch making stop. It seemed like the Dutchmen had the momentum in their favor with the Wildcats on their heels. A counter strike soon materialized when Gourley made a long sideline pass to Schweitzer who made a quick pass to midfielder Brenden Bettwy finishing the zigzag passing sequence to Uckert who shot on goal and was stopped in the last second by the Dutchman goalie.

Pierce was tasked again to protect his goalie by stopping a seemingly impossible up field pass by the Dutchmen. Bettwy joined the assist list by kicking a perfectly placed corner kick with midfielder Quinn O’Neil anticipating the ball with a header into the goal making the score 4-1. Bettwy wasn’t done with his attempts on offense as he shot on goal only to have his possible goal stopped with a hand save by the goal, making the ball direct wide right. Boyden then fed a cross assist to Bettwy who produced a scorching shot and was stopped again.

Left wing Layton Dunn then crossed a pass to Boyden in the center who shot and scored for a 5-1 lead. Midfielder Nathan Frederick, with his speed, made a perfect up field pass to Uckert who scored increasing the difference to 6-1. The Dutchmen then made a lob pass into the Wildcats defense with Lerch and his defense coming together with the Dutchmen striker simultaneously and in the jumble, Lerch was caught out of position with the Dutchmen scoring for a new score of 6-2. Ormeno then passed to Schweitzer who made the last goal of the contest for the Wildcats ninth win of the season 7-2.

What doesn’t make the stat sheet are all the stops the Wildcats midfield and defense made during the course of the game. The contest was extremely physical with many penalties called and several players limping off the field in pain… Commendable defense by Gourley and Pierce kept the speed governed off the sidelines and frustrated the Dutchmen all evening. O’Neil and Frederick were the recipients of much of the late game physicality but kept their restraint…

The Wildcats take their 9-2 record into their Senior Night game at noon on Saturday, September 28th at Clarion-Limestone field against the Brookville Raiders.

(Have A Great Senior Recognition Day, Wildcats!!!! Thanks to Matt Lerch for this article and photos!!)