Atlantic will host No. 9 ranked Glenwood Monday
By Drew Herron - NT Sports Editor / April 13, 2013
ATLANTIC – Mother Nature and this dawdling spring weather is
starting to become a thorn in the side of the Trojans’ Soccer team.
Following a 5-4 home loss to Oakland Riverside Friday night
in which temperatures at AHS dipped into the low 30s, the winds howled and the field
proved a soggy mess, Atlantic coach Justin Williams held a simple solution towards
helping improve his team’s scoring touch and ability to finish.
“We just need to get outside,” he said. “We are not outside
enough, and we need to get real shots on a real-sized net. That will help us
finish…I feel it’s there.”
Atlantic dropped to 2-3 on the season with the one-goal loss
to Riverside
Friday. The Trojans also lost a 5-1 match earlier in the
week to a very talented St. Albert squad that’s ranked No. 6 in Class 1A.
In between, outdoor practice sessions have been limited and
matches juggled, inhibiting the Trojans’ projected growth as they field a mix
of veterans and newcomers on a squad that is currently without the services of
eight players and three probable starters.
Scoring in general has not been a problem for the Trojans,
as sophomore Matt Smith (7 goals) and senior Harrison Hoegh (5 goals) have been
more than productive, and account for all but two of the team’s 14 goals
through five matches.
However, the defense in general is less seasoned, and is expected
to come into its own as the season moves along.
Coach Williams says defensive tact and familiarity are two
of the many checkpoints the Trojans will work through as they head into
mid-April.
“Some teams are already good, and some teams are going to
become good (as the season progresses),” coach Williams says. “We still have a
long ways to go, but we are working to fix things as we see them.”
On Friday evening, four goals were not enough for Atlantic
as lulls in momentum and physicality where marking was tight but officiating
calls loose, proved costly.
Riverside broke through with the first goal of the match
when junior forward Michael Bertacini, finishing off a 2-on-1, knocked home a well-placed
ball 7:07 into the first half to put the Dawgs out front early.
Atlantic would answer to take a 2-1 lead heading into the
halftime break when senior striker Harrison Hoegh netted a score at 23:24, and
again at 36:29 when he broke loose in space and floated a second goal up and
over the reach of an extended Riverside goalkeeper to stake a Trojans’ lead.
However, the second half did not start well for the Trojans,
as Riverside would score thrice in the opening 10 minutes to reclaim the lead
at 4-2, and force Atlantic to chase to level the score.
Atlantic would score twice more in the second half, but trailed
Riverside the rest of the way. Senior Stuart Hoegh scored his first varsity
goal after putting home his own rebound off the post following a throw-in
(52:03), and sophomore forward Matt Smith scored the Trojans’ fourth goal on a
penalty kick with 8:49 left to draw within one goal late at 5-4.
“We gave up that all-important first goal, and that was
something we know we can’t do,” coach Williams says.
Riverside kept pounding with a number of well-placed
crosses, and pounced on Atlantic’s defensive lapses to move through-balls up
field to create scoring opportunities.
Moreover, the frigid temperatures, wind and soggy field made
the conditions ripe for a physically themed game, and both sides were happy to
bring it.
“We are used to physical,” coach Williams says. “At times we
matched it, and other times we didn’t. One thing we talked about after the St.
Albert game, was making sure we were going to take it as far as the officials
will let us. Controlled physicality.”
“We will keep building through this adversity, we just need
to get outside.”
Atlantic will return to action Monday evening at AHS when
they play host to Glenwood, ranked No. 9 in Class 2A. The Rams are 4-2, with
losses to Johnston and Lewis Central.
Up Next: Mon. April 15 – 6:30PM
Glenwood (4-2) at Atlantic (2-3)
#atlantictrojans #iowaprep
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