High School Soccer:
Crusaders Tie Cherokee In JV Soccer

Monday, October 5, 1998

By Forrest Robleto
SJSports Staff Writer

Joe Nicastro (3) scored in the first minute for the Cherokee Chiefs. The ball was headed to him by Pat Henderson (14). A few minutes later Henderson did a nice job a bringing the ball up the side under a lot of pressure, passed it up to Matt Rosenthal who did a nice cross but it was picked off by Bishop Eustace goalie Dominic McDowell.

Later in the first half, Eustace had a corner kick which they managed to curl around so that it was net bound, but the goalie, Brian Kemp, picked it out of the air from within a very tight crowd. The first half ended 1-0 Cherokee.

At 19:25 of the second half, Bishop Eustace sailed a long shot just under the crossbar. Kemp got his fingers on it, but not quite enough to stop it, and it was tied at one.

Less than a minute later Eustace got a direct kick and kicked it six inches higher than the shot that just scored. Now with the game tied at one, the teams went into two five minute overtimes (not sudden death).

Early in the overtimes, Cherokee's Joe Nicastro made a great shot from a tight angle that beat Dominic McDowell but just missed the far post and went wide. Kevin Gibbs came back for Cherokee and apparently got his foot under the ball as it went straight for the goal but was about 40 feet too high. Joe Nicastro made another nice shot that Brian Kemp dove and rolled to stop.

The game in regulation time was fairly even back and forth and end to end but the overtime was almost all Cherokee. The few times that Crusaders made it into Cherokee territory, Mike Miller, who was playing inspired defense, kept it out.

On an occasion that Eustace made it all the way in, Brian Kemp made a pretty fingertip save on a hard shot from the top of the box. Then, in what looked like Eustace's best opportunity they went offside.

Cherokee made a nice shot that Dominic McDowell picked up at the top of the box but he dropped it, and in the ensuing scramble Cherokee almost had a shot at an open net.

The tie left Bishop Eustace with a record of 5-1-4 and Cherokee 4-1-2.

Photos by Forrest Robleto