Soccer: Packers’ season comes to an end in Section 1A title game
Published 5:20 am Wednesday, October 15, 2014
Austin’s Riley Grinstead carries the ball in the middle of the field against Rochester Lourdes in the Section 1A title game Tuesday night at RCTC in Rochester. Eric Johnson/photodesk@austindailyherald.com
ROCHESTER — The No. 2 seeded Austin boys soccer team created some scoring chances and it stopped some of No. 1 Rochester Lourdes’ scoring chances, but it wasn’t enough as the Packers had their season come to an end in in a 2-0 loss in the Section 1A title game in RCTC Stadium in Rochester Tuesday night.
Austin’s Brandon Miller collides with Rochester Lourdes’ Hadi Berbari as the two go for the ball in the first half of the Section 1A title game Tuesday night at RCTC in Rochester. Eric Johnson/photodesk@austindailyherald.com
The Eagles (15-5 overall) took a 1-0 lead with 21:16 left in the first half when Daniel Schembri-Wismayer lobbed a shot from about 30 yards out into the back of the net and they made it a 2-0 game when Hadi Berbari bounced one into the net with 33:40 left into the game.
The Packers (9-9-2 overall) almost scored in the first five minutes of the game as Noah Brehmer had a header go wide of the net. Jeremy Olmsted had a shot drift a couple feet above the net with 10:16 left in the half and Riley Grinstead had a 40-yard bullet stopped on a one-handed, jumping save by Lourdes keeper Nicolas Villarraga with 28:55 left in the game.
Austin senior defenseman Brandon Miller was one of 13 seniors for the Packers and he felt the team went out playing strong.
“I’m definitely pleased with how we played. They got us on two lucky bounces and you can’t do anything about that,” Miller said. “The effort was definitely there, we just didn’t get the bounces and I don’t know if it was because of the turf when you usually play on grass, but there’s definitely no excuses and they beat us fair and square.”
Austin’s Sean Baker fends off the pressure of Rochester Lourdes’ Charlie Rolfs during the first half of the Section 1A title game Saturday night at RCTC in Rochester. Eric Johnson/photodesk@austindailyherald.com
The Packers fired off 11 shots on goal in the loss and Gach Gach had 11 saves in net for Austin. Austin head coach Jens Levisen commended his team for finishing the season strong after the Packers had trouble getting started when they opened the year with a 3-7-2 overall record.
“I thought we played well,” Levisen said. “I’m sure I could probably find some way we could’ve improved, but at the same time we played passes, we worked the ball downfield and we created opportunities. The defense played well and we didn’t give up very many opportunities.”
Austin’s team will have an entirely new look next season as it will graduate a lot of players who spent a lot of time with the Packers. Levisen said he was looking to get all of his seniors in the game as it got late and he realized there weren’t’ enough spots on the field for all of them to play at once.
“We have a lot of seniors who have put a lot of hard work into the program,” he said. “They certainly will be missed. They have an impact on the younger players looking up to them, they see how they carry themselves on and off the field.”
Austin’s Roel Torres plays the ball under the pressure from Rochester Lourdes’ Estebon Bedoya during the first half of the Section 1A title game Tuesday night at RCTC in Rochester. Eric Johnson/photodesk@austindailyherald.com
Miller was proud of how the Packers finished their season.
“We’ve been playing together a long time and it’s sad,” he said. “It’s a great group of kids and I love every one of them.”
