If you looked at the final score you would have thought the game was played between the 18s but this 0-0 tie at Kalida was anything but passing in the middle. The game started fast and furious with a Kalida player picking up the only yellow card of the game at the 31:39 mark of the first half. After that everyone calmed down and put on a great show. Both Continental and Kalida had two solid chances for goals in the first half. At the 28:36 mark Kalida put a shot on goal that bacon saved by Sophomore Jacob Williams. The Pirates countered at 18:01 with shot by Senior Caleb Baker that just missed the goal. This attempt was set up by a great pass from Senior Zach Schwarzman. At the 5:57 mark Kalida sent an open shot out wide. The Pirates went down and took a free kick at the 4:00 mark by Schwarzman that went just over the net.
In the second half the Wildcats came out ready to play and in what I would call great goal opportunities dominated the half. At the 33:20 mark Kalida sent a shot just over the bar. At the 17:30 mark Pirate goalie Sophomore Trevor Williamson made an awesome save off a Wildcat corner kick play. The Pirates then came down at the 8:30 and sailed a free kick just over the bar. Kalida finished the game with two great opportunities, first at the 8 minute even mark when Goalie Williamson was called upon to make a pair of saves on shots taken close the goal. The Wildcats finished the game with a shot that was just wide with 4:48 remaining.
If the Continentalenews had a player of the game it would have went to the Goalie Williamson who time and again was in the right spot at the right time to save the shutout. Kalida came into the game ranked 10th in the State in the OSSCA poll Division III poll.
This was the last league game for the Pirates and was played in front of a large crowd under the lights. The Pirates are now 3-0-1 in the PCL and 6-1-1 overall while the Wildcats are 0-0-3 and 5-1-4 overall. In a very balanced league which saw the Pirates 3 PCL wins coming by 3 goals.
Starters for the Pirates in this game were Seniors Zach Schwarzman, Gabe Williamson, Caleb Baker, Ross Etter, and Derek Troyer, Juniors Ty Warnement and Sam Bowers, Sophomore Jacob Williams, Trevor Williamson, and Freshmen Dean Krendl and Christian Keller.
Kalia won the Junior Varisty Match 1-0.
The Pirate Soccer team next host Bryan on Tuesday with a 5:00 pm start.
–Photos by Kelly Sarka
–Mike Jones, Sportwriter
