By DAVID ERSOFF, Journal Sports
Two of the premiere local high school soccer matchups of the regular season produced plenty of drama and high-quality competition, leaving no doubt that the Captain Shreve boys and both boys’ and girls’ squads from Byrd have plenty of postseason potential.
Captain Shreve’s boys went to Byrd Thursday night to face the Yellow Jackets for the late-season lead in Division 1, District 1. The Gators were able to come away with the closely-contested 1-0 victory.
Shreve rose to 10-6-3 overall, and 3-0 in district, assured of no worse than a share of the district crown. Byrd fell to 11-6-2 and 2-1 with only one game left in the district season for both clubs.
The game started strongly for the Yellow Jackets as wing Nolen Bruce got the ball up the left side, testing Gators keeper Bryce Lopez. Most of the first half was spent in the middle of the field, with both teams trading opportunities to advance. The Gators had a free kick from 25 yards out, which is a perfect spot, but the ball sailed through the uprights above the goal, ending that advance. Byrd had 4-5 good attacks that pressed the Shreve back line. At 25 minutes into play, Lopez came up big with a high-pressure save. The half ended scoreless.
Byrd repeated its early pressure as the second half began, testing Lopez again just one minute in. The visiting fan base gasped at the shot and the reaction turned into cheers after another impressive save. Byrd kept pushing forward, and it just seemed a matter of time when the Yellow Jackets would get that goal. Shreve sneaked in a few counters, testing Byrd’s keeper John Rushing with some shots from the outside.
Things became testy as the time continued to tick. There were four yellow cards given out by the center referee, two for each team.
With 12 minutes remaining, Shreve took advantage of one of its counters, when Andrew Bradford passed the ball to Collin Elston, who beat the charging Rushing to put away the only goal of the game.
The Yellow Jackets went on a full press, with Brennon Nguven leading the charge, dribbling through the Shreve defense twice, but Byrd was unable to get the ball in the net. With just a minute left, Byrd took a solid shot that Lopez was able to snag. It wasn’t long until the whistle blew, and the Gators stood as victors.
Captain Shreve stands at 18th in the Division I power ratings but will get a bump after besting 11th-rated Byrd.
On Wednesday, Byrd and Loyola’s girls’ teams faced off in their yearly, end-of-season matchup to tune up for playoff competition in different divisions. This contest has brought fans some of the best games to watch every winter and this one was no different as the Lady Jackets came away with a 2-0 win at Loyola’s Messmer Stadium.
Both squads lived up to their state power ratings. Loyola’s defending state champions stood No. 2 in the state’s Division IV ranks. Byrd entered the battle with a No. 5 rating in Division I, and moved up to fourth in the wake of its victory.
This year’s game started, as most do, with both teams feeling out each other for the first 10 minutes, with no dangerous looks at goal. This changed as Byrd forward MyJoi Anderson used her speed to get behind the Lady Flyers’ backline numerous times. She had three crosses that went untouched across the net, begging to be turned into a goal. Loyola moved faster players to its back line to counter Anderson’s speed.
With two minutes left in the half, Anderson found herself with the ball, again behind the Loyola defense. This time she was headed to goal. With Louisiana Tech commit Mary Helen Burford in chase and Loyola keeper Millie Mascagni charging, there was a collision of those three girls at full speed. The ball went into the back of the net. Burford and Anderson stayed down. Tension and concern filled the large crowd. Burford was able to get up and continue. Anderson was helped off the field, remaining on the bench for the rest of the game with an injured ankle.
The half ended with Byrd up 1-0.
Loyola came out more aggressively in the second period, without having to keep numbers back to combat Anderson’s speed. The Lady Flyers were able to get numerous shots, including a breakaway, when Byrd keeper Bailey Moore was tested to the fullest. She was able to deflect the ball wide for a Loyola corner. That sequence was Loyola’s best shot at the equalizer, which never came.
With 12 minutes left in the game, the Lady Jackets countered up the right side when Ellie Lawrence crossed the ball to Elizabeth Klotzbach, who doubled Byrd’s lead.
The winning visitors improved to 13-6-3 while the home squad slipped to 13-4-3.