Elida 2 Lima CC 1

Crosstown rivals Elida and Lima CC met on a crisp fall evening at Lima Stadium with bragging rights on the line. The action was fast paced from the opening whistle with both teams playing well. As the first half wore on the Bulldogs began to take control of play with much of the action taking place on the T-Birds end of the pitch.

The T-Birds did generate a couple of solid scoring opportunities including hitting the back post on an early attempt. LCC also penetrated the Elida defense a couple of times but Bulldog goalkeeper Garrett Brinkman was up to the task coming up with a couple of great saves, including a collapse dive stop of a breakaway attempt, to keep LCC off the scoreboard.

Late in the first half Elida junior midfielder Adam Ordel got loose down the left flank from where he played a low driven cross into the LCC goal area. T-Bird goalkeeper Ben  Stechschulte made a diving attempt to corral the ball but could not hold onto it.  Hard charging Elida junior forward Jerod Houston pounced on the loose ball and tapped it in for the games first goal.

The second half was one of momentum swings as each team was able to get the ball into their respective attacking thirds and keep it there for extended stretches. Both defenses held firm in those instances. It turned out to be quick counter attacks for both teams that would lead to the second half goals.

For LCC senior midfielder Matt McNamara was played in along the left flank and using a blend of touch and speed was able to get behind the Elida defense. As Bulldog sweeper Brice Coolidge closed in McNamara launched a bending ball toward goal that struck the back post and ricocheted into the goal to even the match at 1 - 1.

Momentum continued to swing back and forth until LCC goalkeeper Stechschulte seemed to have trouble keeping his footing. This led to a couple of bobbled saves and one loose ball with an open net in the T-Birds penalty area that Elida sophomore forward looked to have drawn a bead on until he also lost his footing.  I can only speculate, but perhaps the field was beginning to hold some dew.

Late in the match Stechschulte was forced to come off his line and make a diving save on an attempt from Elida's Simen Domass. Stechschulte was able to deflect the ball away but Bulldog midfielder Chase Watson gathered it in and finished into an open net with what proved to be the winning goal.

For the night I thought Brice Coolidge's play at the sweeper position for Elida was a key to the game. He "swept up" a lot of LCC through ball penetration attempts and just as importantly distributed the ball extremely well to the feet of the Elida midfielders and forwards. Domass was often on the receiving end of those distribution and his play as an attacking center midfielder was the key to the Bulldogs attack.


Congratulations Bulldogs!