EVANS PK LIFTS EAGLES OVER FRIARS

By Jose Terlaje

The bleachers were packed at the Guam Football Association soccer field in Harmon as hundreds of spectators came out to support their schools.

You could feel the tension between both fans and players as the Father Duenas Friars and Harvest Christian Academy Eagles went head to head for the second time this season. The Eagles held on to win this game 4-2 after a penalty shootout due to neither team being able to score in regular and extra time. HCA also defeated FD 2-1 earlier in the regular season.

“It was a rough match and I was beat around for most of the game. My teammates, coaches, and the Lord really gave me that final push that gave me the confidence to go up there and do what I had to do to get my team the win,” said Marlon Evans, who scored the penalty kick that sealed the win for the Eagles. Evans went on to say that his team has stuck to the same game plan all season and that they intend on keeping it that way as they go up against the JFK Islanders in this year’s championship game.

Early in the first half, both teams were unlucky in a finding the back of the net, but were able to get an offensive rhythm going. Each team came very close to scoring on set pieces awarded after fouls but their shots were not on target.

Eagles’ Ryan Ledger (left) and Friars Phillip Au battle it out for ball possession. (photo by Kyle Twardowski)

As time went on in the half, the Friars turned up their overall game and started dominating possession of the ball. FD got its first good scoring opportunity when right wing Phillip Au had a chance to score when he went 1-on-1 with the HCA keeper but put too much lift on the ball and shot it out of bounds.

Later in the game, the Eagles got their chance to score after being awarded multiple corner kicks and free kicks around the FD goalie box but the Friar defense was too solid, winning the ball in the air and kicking it out of scoring range for HCA.

As the half came to a close, the Friars got multiple scoring opportunities from Tevin Pangelinan, Jake Benito and Justin Johnson, but a number of shots went off target or were saved by HCA keeper Sean Evans. FD possessed the ball till time ran out, ending the first half 0-0.

The second half started with the Friars running on the momentum that they ended the first half with. Early in the half the Friars looked like they were going to put some points on the board, getting multiple shots on goal off good passes from Johnson but all the shots were off target.

HCA then got a chance to score when Marlon Evans broke away from the defense, dribbling the ball just inside the box, but Shane Healy of the Friars came from the behind and kicked the ball out of bounds, stopping Evans. The high pressure defense of FD made it very difficult for the Eagles to get the ball down the field, but midfielders Ricky Katsumata and Isiah Lagutang put in work, carrying the ball and doing the best they could to keep HCA in the fight to put some points on the board. Katsumata continued to suck in the D and get some passes off to open teammates but the Eagles could not find the opportunity to score.

Later in the second half the Friars came very close to scoring when Johnson gave the Eagles’ defense the business, making his way past defenders with his fancy footwork and then feeding a beautiful pass to teammate Jestin Escobar who went 1-on-1 with the HCA keeper but shot the ball straight to him. FD was then awarded a corner kick but could not make anything of it.

The Eagles had the ball in the final seconds of the half and tried to get something going off a free kick given to them just near half field but could not get a shot off as time ran out with the scores still tied 0-0, forcing extra time in the match that consisted of two 5 minute halves.

Harvest goalie Sean Evans stops a corner kick attempt from the Friars. (photo by Kyle Twardowski)

Extra time was very sloppy with each team rushing to score due to lack of time in each half. Neither team was able to get into an offensive rhythm until Brandon McAuslen of the Eagles broke through the Friar defense off a pass through the air but FD keeper Cameron Miles was able to punch the ball out of bounds and keep his team in the game. The Friars were given a corner kick in the final seconds of extra time but could not capitalize on it as extra time came to an end, causing the game to be decided by a penalty shootout.

The Eagles then went on to win the game 4-2 after the penalty shootout. Although both keepers picked up saves, Joseph Quan of the Friars failed to score on his turn, hitting the post and giving HCA a 3-2 lead. The only way that FD would be able to get another chance to even the score and stay in the game was if Harvest’s next player coming up to shoot missed his shot. HCA’s Marlon Evans would not falter though, confidently sending a hard shot right past FD’s keeper, giving his team a 4-2 lead to win the game and move on to the championship.

Harvest goalie Sean Evans, who was shot on over 20 times and had over eight saves throughout the game, said that communication with his defense and keeping them in line was a big part of denying FD any goals in regular and extra time. The humble Evans also jokingly admitted that he read the shot incorrectly at first but then reached as far as he could to the left out of desperation when he got the save that helped put his team in the lead during the shootout. Evans plans to use the time he has before the championship game to work on the fundamentals and get his punts on target.

Other Game

JFK 1, GW 0

In a wild contest that featured two of the league’s best defenses, the JFK Islanders got a goal from Sora Recella in the first half that was all the difference, beating the Geckos to set up an exciting showdown between the league’s two best teams in the Harvest Eagles and JFK Islanders.

Sora Recella of the Islanders blasts through GW defenders in hopes for a shot at goal. (photo by Kyle Twardowski)

PHOTO GALLERY:

Keita Yoshida of the Friars fights through the Eagles defenders to advance the ball down field. (photo by Kyle Twardowski)

Harvest goalie Sean Evans punches the ball away from the goal after a corner kick attempt. (photo by Kyle Twardowski)

Ryan Ledger of the Eagles sprints to retrieve the ball before the attacking Friars steal for a shot on goal. (photo by Kyle Twardowski)

Jake Benito of the Friars gets stopped short of his rampage towards the goal by Harvest defender Ben Wiegand. (photo by Kyle Twardowski)

Islanders Patson Haimin (left) and Geckos Raymond Macias get wrapped up. (photo by Kyle Twardowski)

Raymond Macias of the Geckos gets trapped by Islanders on his way down field. (photo by Kyle Twardowski)

Geckos goalie Wayne Jesus stops Hezekial Cruz in his tracks. (photo by Kyle Twardowski)