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| Stormray mascot |
By TCA
Spring had almost sprung, but temperatures hovered below 60 degrees on a typical cloudy Tuesday in Shoreline. As the WESCo 3A South season draws to a close, Shorewood’s Boys Varsity soccer team is on an inexorable procession to the WESCo South league title, boasting an undefeated season (12-0-1) thus far.
This evening would be a tilt against the top team in WESCo 4A, the Glacier Peak Grizzlies at Shoreline Stadium. Could they keep this unbeaten streak going, despite illness and injuries to key players?
The Stormrays started strongly, in an attacking 2-3-2-3 formation, whereas the Grizzlies responded in anticipation with a more defensive 3-2-3-2 formation to counter the attacking prowess of Shorewood. The key to this matchup would be which midfield five would prevail?
Rays came storming out of the gate, fleet of foot and fleet of mind, not giving the Grizz players much time or space, and seized possession with intent. But Glacier Peak was not your WESCo South doormat, and proved their mettle by staving off wave after wave of Shorewood attacks, and perhaps snatch a goal on the counterattack.
For most of the first half, Rays dominated, but could not break through, as their active front trio pinged about like demented dragonflies, with sudden changes of direction.
At the half-hour mark, following an intercepted ball in midfield and a quick pass to the top left corner of the box, the Grizz keeper covered the near post as striker #10 twisted past the desperate defender. Stalwart #10 reacted expeditiously by lashing a dart to the far post, into the bottom right corner to break the impasse, 1-0.
The Grizz players stuck to their strategy, to perhaps hold out till halftime down by just one goal. The Rays remained relentless, stifling any midfield threats and counter-attacking rapidly. As the forwards moved menacingly to the box yet again, a flailing tackle with two minutes left, just outside the 18-yard box, results in a direct free-kick.
Surprisingly, Coach Warner calls upon #4, a defender, to take the kick - misdirection, a feint, or trickery perhaps? As #4 steps up, he had no such intention as he blasts a rocket to the right side netting to double the lead. Would the Rays relax and sit on a two-goal lead?
After the intermission, the forwards sprang forward with even greater intensity. The midfield press duly obliged by wresting possession and threading through-balls between, around, over the hapless Grizz defensive line.
The Rays’ passing was quick and crisp, with precision and accuracy, their dexterity and ball control began to wear down the opposition. Midway through the second half, one such incursion reached two strikers, and #19 graciously deferred to #10 at the top left of the box.
He duly scored a brace as he realized the keeper again cheating over to cover the near post, replicating an almost identical shot beyond the goalie, into the bottom right corner, 3-0.
Tall left-winger #19 came alive in the second half, knowing he could beat the fullback with pace and skill. He dribbled forward with insouciant confidence, punctuated by controlled sleight of foot to bewilder the defense. With a commanding lead, he demurred from crosses and assists, and instead penetrated determined to score, and break his drought. As the clock ticked down in the final quarter, he thundered a long shot from outside the box, that was deflected but whizzed into the goal anyway, due credit to #19.
This denouement was just icing on the cake, a tidy 4-0 win, with a clean sheet for the backup Rays’ keeper to usher out. This was an assured, controlled display by a confident team, as they seek to erase the pain of being pipped to the state title last year.
In the next week, Shorewood should wrap up the WESCo South league title, with an eye on the District 1 championship, and beyond to the State Tournament, where you sense they have unfinished business.
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