Steers lose heartbreaker in PKs to Old High Coyotes
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(TC GORDON | THE GRAHAM LEADER) Graham defenders work together to clear the ball out to prevent Old High from scoring during a game between the two teams Tuesday, Feb. 27. The Steers and Coyotes tied 2-2 at the end of regulation, but the Steers lost 6-5 in the penalty kick shootout. -
(TC GORDON | THE GRAHAM LEADER) Graham’s Jesus Lucio tries to break away from an Old High defender holding him during a match between the two teams Tuesday, Feb. 27. The Steers tied with the Coyotes 2-2 in regulation, but fell in penalty kicks 6-5. -
(TC GORDON | THE GRAHAM LEADER) Graham’s Easton Hedge gains control of the ball and begins to move it upfield during the team’s district game against Old High this past Tuesday, Feb. 27. The Steers tied with the Coyotes 2-2 in regulation, but fell in penalty kicks 6-5. -
(TC GORDON | THE GRAHAM LEADER) Graham’s Holton Weatherman (right) and Stian Tunstroem (left) watch Weatherman’s penalty kick fly into the goal in a game Tuesday, Feb. 27 against Old High. The two teams tied 2-2 at the end of regulation but the Steers lost in the penalty kick shootout 6-5.
For the second time in district play this season, the Steers sent the game to penalty kicks after tying with their opponent in regulation. However, this time, Graham came out on the wrong side of things and took a loss to Old High.
In a defensive battle for both sides, the teams finished the game tied 2-2 to force the penalty kick shootout. Graham came up just short, falling 6-5 after the Coyotes’ goalkeeper blocked the Steers’ final kick.
“It’s tough to lose that way, especially because (the Steers) did such a great job today,” head coach Tim Wankowicz said. “We knew it was going to be a battle going into it.”
The penalty kick shootout was a back-and-forth battle in incredibly strong winds. Players couldn’t set the ball down to set up their shot without it immediately blowing away, so teammates had to come hold it like a field goal attempt in football.
After the first five penalty kicks for each side, the teams tied 4-4 with each side missing one apiece. Graham’s Easton Hedge, Jesus Lucio, Holton Weatherman and Ozzy Trejo fired in the four makes for the Steers.
As the teams continued until somebody made one and the other missed, both teams missed their first two of the extras before Old High powered one past Trejo on their eighth shot. Graham’s Yahir Hernandez answered with a powerful goal to push the kicks to nine.
The Coyotes made their ninth goal to retake the lead and Graham’s Saul Ramos’s shot to tie was blocked by the goalie to secure the win for the home team Old High.
Before the unfortunate ending in penalty kicks, the Steers played a strong 80 minutes against one of the top teams in the district. Graham came in with a defensive mindset, in an attempt to keep the high-powered Old High offense from getting ahead too much.
The Coyotes scored their first goal just over eight minutes into the game after they broke through Graham’s defense.
But the Steers answered a few minutes later after one of the players got fouled in the opposing box and set up a penalty kick. Hedge took the honors and fired a shot into the goal for a 1-1 tie.
The score stayed that way for the rest of the first half despite Old High spending a lot of time in Graham territory and taking a lot of shots on goal. But the Steers’ defense held strong.
“We knew we could take it to this team and we figured if we just stay close we can make it a game and make a statement,” Wankowicz said.
Old High retook the lead early in the second half on a header past Trejo for a goal. But once again, the Steers found the way to answer and did so about 10 minutes later.
With just under 25 minutes to play, Ramos found himself with the ball about 25 yards out from the goal. After a touch to gain control, he fired a shot into the wind that curved over the head of the Coyotes’ goalkeeper and into the back of the net for the game-tying shot to make it 2-2.
From there, the Steers did their best to play strong defense and avoid allowing another goal until they could get to the penalty kicks. Although they played a tough game against a talented team, the Steers came up short and took the loss.
“We still fought and attacked and we got (the Coyotes) off their game and that was the key,” Wankowicz said. “It wasn’t pretty but it allowed us to create opportunities to take advantage of.”
The Steers’ next district game will be at home Tuesday, March 5 against Hirschi with kickoff scheduled for 7:30 p.m.
