Ryan Upends North, 3-1

Miscues the Difference in the Match as Ryan Cashes In on Two Penalty Kicks

Analysis

Funny how the games look in person and then when you watch the film, how different it was. That could be said about Friday night's setback against Ryan. While North fell by the score of 3-1, it wasn't so much any dominance by Ryan but more of mistakes by North. From the start of pre-season, the one question that the coaching staff had was the back line. With the graduation of All-Catholics Mark Pugliese and Pat Greer, who was going to step up. While different combinations have been experimented through the season, what has been a fact is that the backline of North has really been the unsung hero of the campaign so far. The play of first year starters Dan Venuto, Mark Brown, Austin Baranukas coupled with Senior Tyler Ward and Ira Woodruff at times has been nothing less that stellar.

Like anything else, perfection can only last so long. On Friday night, Ryan capitalized on two mistakes resulting in penalty kicks that even all-world keeper, John McCarthy was unable to stop. These mistakes were the real undoing in the match.

The emotions after the match lend more to blame a lack of effort and passion which is only natural but the film lies about nothing. In the aftermath and on the cutting room floor, what really happened becomes clear. For most of the game, North did well in possessing the ball. Forwards Martinez and Hall continually checked off the front line to receive the ball from the midfield or the backs and tried to find open teammates on the wide sides of the field. The buildup, in most cases, was good but the final pass or cross were not. The first and third goals were examples of just that, lost possession and Ryan counters. When we lost these balls, we were committed forward where both the midfield and backs were pushed deep into the offensive zone. Ryan was fortunate to clear both opportunities which created numbers against one North back. Give Ryan credit, many times these rushes are stopped but not this time. The first resulted in the penalty kick and the second gave the Ryan striker a one on one with McCarthy.

The Match

The loss put and end to North’s undefeated run in the PCL Red Division by besting the Falcons by the score of 3-1 on Friday night. This loss drops North in a three way tie for first place in the Red Division along with LaSalle and Judge as the first half comes to a close.

The score line might be a little deceiving for those not at the games. The difference in the game was not the Ryan attack, more the fouls that North committed in the penalty area. North allowed two penalty kicks that allowed Ryan to tie and take the lead in the game. Most every game, the Falcons ask Keeper John McCarthy to be a star, this day though, it would be too much of anyone to stop two penalty kicks in a span of twenty minutes.

North started the game well. In the 10th minute, Juan Pablo Martinez collected a ball in a scrum in the Ryan box and was able to nudge it through both the defenders and the keeper to put North ahead. That score stayed until about 1 minute left in the first half. While the game was somewhat see-sawed, North at times created several chances with its possession up front and at midfield. The final pass though was problematic. In the final minute of the half, North was agonizingly close to adding to its score when it lost possession in its offensive, bottom third. The clearing ball went right to a Ryan forward who had clear sailing from his 50 into North’s penalty area. Sr. Mark Brown ran sixty yards to catch the Ryan forward near the penalty area. Unfortunately, he accidentally clipped the Ryan players heal which resulted in a penalty kick. Score at half now was 1-1.

The second half began much like the first half begun, back and forth action in the middle part of the field. North seem to exert more pressure towards goal but continually seemed to lose the ball to stop any build up or offensive momentum. About 20 minutes into the half, Ryan attacked on a diagonal from the central midfield into the right corner of North’s penalty area. There was some contact between a North defenders and the Ryan player fell and was awarded another penalty kick to make the score 2-1 in Ryan’s favor.

Trying for the equalizer North pushed more men forward to create scoring chances. Tyler Ward, hit the goal post from 20 out off a feed from Martinez. Ward also pushed one over the bar from the 8 a short time after as did Khristian Hall. With about 5 minutes left, Martinez missed wide left from the 18 and North hit the outside of the net from in close in the final two minutes.

With only a minute to go, North was awarded a free kick, 70 yards from goal on the far side of the field. McCarthy took the kick and sent it toward the Ryan 18. The ball was first flicked into the box but Ryan was able to clear it with the ball to the right flank at midfield where a Ryan forward, unmarked was able to push to possess and steam forward. Freshman Kevin Lockhart tracked down the Ryan player but he found another forward ten yards inside. Moving right to left across the box, the Ryan forward placed a hard shot just inside the upper left corner that McCarthy was unable to stop, mainly because he had to sprint 50 yards to bet back into the net after that free kick. This insurance goal was the final tally.

Next week is a tough week for all PCL teams as three games are on hand. On Monday night, North hosts Roman at Ryan at 7 PM. On Wednesday, it travels to play the Prep and 3:30 at the Dairy Fields in Fairmount Park and on Friday we host O’Hara at Lighthouse Field at 5:30 PM.