John Bapst and Caribou boys’ soccer groups duel to a draw
The highest two groups in Class B North clashed in Orono Wednesday afternoon, culminating in an entertaining 1-1 tie after additional time.
Caribou’s quick, bodily fashion of play was an ideal matchup in opposition to Bapst’s slower, possession-based strategy, and the 2 sides traded probabilities all sport lengthy.
Initially, the Vikings largely managed the tempo of play, with junior striker Braydon Brescia getting Caribou on the board ten minutes into the sport.
Brescia acquired the ball in the fitting aspect of the field and rapidly booted it close to submit, making it 1-0 Caribou and silencing the Bapst-heavy crowd.
“I had a tricky angle and was in a position to put it previous the goalie, so I’m grateful for that,” Brescia stated. “We’re 5-0, so we had a variety of confidence coming into the sport.”
Later within the half, Caribou almost made it 2-0 after senior Dylan Bouchard acquired a cross 12 yards in entrance of aim, however thankfully for Bapst, lofted it over the crossbar.
On the opposite finish, Bapst started to get snug midway by way of the primary body, stringing collectively some nook kicks and strong upfield passes, forcing Caribou senior goalkeeper Logan White to get lively within the field.
As the sport progressed into the second half, Bapst continued to ship harmful by way of balls upfield, however junior winger Izak Robichaud and firm stored misplacing their pictures and dropping their dribbles on the final second.
In the meantime, the clock continued to tick, and after a pair strong counterattacks from the Vikings, issues have been wanting dire for the Crusaders.
However with seven minutes remaining in regulation, it was ‘the third time’s the attraction’ for Robichaud.
Operating with a move from junior midfielder Oscar Martinez, Robichaud laced a ravishing move throughout aim proper earlier than the Caribou defender caught as much as him, and senior Ellis Columber swooped in from the left wing to bury the ball with one contact.
The gang, and the Bapst bench, erupted.
“I noticed Ellis coming in on that run, and performed that [ball] to him,” Robichaud stated. “I hoped he was gonna get there, [but] after all he’s gonna get there.”
Within the remaining minutes of regulation after which in additional time, a nail biting impasse ensued, however each keepers finally held sturdy and compelled a draw.
“We knew it might be a problem coming in,” Columber stated. “It was a tough sport. We missed some alternatives early, so it was actually good to capitalize on the finish proper there.”
With the draw, Bapst now stands at 7-1-1, and Caribou at 5-0-1. It was the closest Caribou had come to a loss all season.
“John Bapst has a strong workforce, they all the time have,” Caribou head coach Evan Richards stated. “We have been wanting ahead to this sport, they usually performed powerful, good soccer. We matched that, and it was a superb sport all the best way round.”
“We wished the win simply as unhealthy as they did,” Brescia stated. “We play bodily with one another in follow, after which we convey it onto the sector.”
The Vikings and Crusaders are scheduled to satisfy once more reasonably promptly, on Oct. 9 in Caribou.
