By Ted Waddell
ELDRED — October 16, 2001 – In Thursday’s hard-fought boys varsity soccer game against the Spartans of S.S. Seward (11-2 overall, 4-1 OCIAA Division V), the 5-1 loss by the Eldred Yellow Jackets (7-5-1, 3-4 Division V) really didn’t reflect the quality of play by the home team booters.
In the first half, the Yellow Jackets came out flat and allowed the Spartans to score five virtually unopposed goals.
Josh Arkenbout led off the scoring on an assist by Justin Gaucher at 32:18. In the score-studded first frame, the visitors added four more goals before the halftime buzzed: Joe Yurchuk assisted by Brian Hannigan; Arkenbout on an assist by Mike Hoyt; Hoyt all by his lonesome and Lou Trombetta on a direct kick.
At 21:44 in the second half, Devin Weyant put Eldred on the scoreboard with a penalty kick that screamed passed the Spartans keeper, thus narrowly avoiding a shutout.
Stats: shots on goal (Eldred 10/Seward 23), saves (Eldred 16/Seward 9), corner kicks (Eldred 2/Seward 2).
“It was a hard fought game as it usually is with Eldred,” said Spartans coach Joe Mazzarulli. “We know it’s always going to be a good physical battle.”
According to Eldred coach Roger Weyant, the fist half of the match was “the worst game we’ve played all year. . . we just didn’t click.”
“We didn’t give up any goals in the second half, so we obviously played better defense,” he added.
Weyant credited the hard-charging play of center fullback Alois Renngli. “He really hustled all over the field,” he said.
Weyant’s prediction for the rest of the regular season?
“We’ll make the sectionals,” he said.