Roanoke Times
Copyright (c) 1995, Landmark Communications, Inc.
DATE: SUNDAY, May 27, 1990 TAG: 9005270268
SECTION: SPORTS PAGE: B-6 EDITION: BEDFORD/FRANKLIN
SOURCE: RAY COX SPORTSWRITER
DATELINE: BLACKSBURG LENGTH: Medium
That is true for both lonely goalkeeper and solitary shooter.
Saturday night, in a driving rain and dreadful wind, Chancellor executed Blacksburg in the Group AA boys' championship game by virtue of a 3-2 edge in penalty kicks after four overtimes failed to resolve a 1-1 tie.
Blacksburg has played in both Group AA title games held to date, winning the first in overtime and losing the second in what could only be considered wrenching fashion.
"There's no good way to lose," Indians coach Pat Johnson said.
Chancellor (17-1) severed Blacksburg's 21-game unbeaten string and claimed its first state crown in only its second year as a school. The Chargers extended a 13-game winning string.
The Chargers know something of the bitter emptiness of coming so close then falling short. Chancellor was beaten 1-0 in double overtime by Tabb in the 1989 semifinals.
But even that couldn't be as bad as losing on penalty kicks.
"Crazy," Chancellor coach Mike Webb said. "But it was a great game."
No question about that. This clash recalled a military operation in which a powerful attacking force sends waves and waves against a fortified position but cannot breach the battlements.
Such was the effectiveness of the Indians' thorny man-to-man defense against the high-powered Chargers. Chancellor pelted Blacksburg goalkeeper Eric Baumgartner with 21 shots while allowing a skimpy six by the Indians.
Yet through one half and well into the second, the game was scoreless. Then a Chancellor error gave Blacksburg (15-1-1) a sliver of opportunity. A handball infraction gave the Indians' Darren Cross a penalty kick, which he promptly scooted past a sprawling Mark Thornburn.
"That kept us back on our heels for a long time," Webb said. "The officials could have let that go, but they didn't and we didn't respond very well and spent some time blaming the officials and not playing."
Yet, most times a team can't survive on defense alone, even one as stout as Blacksburg's. Steve Heck broke through and, with an assist from Jeff Hopkins, rocketed a shot past Baumgartner and into the upper right corner of the net to tie the score 1-1.
From then on, Blacksburg was like a shipwrecked sailor hanging on to the last piece of driftwood on a stormy sea.
"We just couldn't get the ball in a position to score," Johnson said. "They played such great defense on us."
Baumgartner made some terrific saves and Blacksburg made hair-breadth escape after escape.
On came overtime, then another, then another, then another.
Penalty kicks ensued.
Blacksburg Jon Bohland was first, but his delivery failed. Then came Chancellor's Donnie Hart, who drilled his kick. Next was Andrew Shires of Blacksburg, who matched Hart's effort to bring the game back to a deadlock. Baumgartner then robbed Ryan Early.
Cross followed, missing his first such boot in two years. Buddy Kouroukuis slipped through his shot to give the Chargers the edge. But Nathan Warren, Blacksburg's scoring ace with 21 goals, knotted matters again with a precisely placed bomb.
Hopkins, Chancellor's 39-goal scorer, came through again as the Chargers took the edge. Andre Pyle then missed for Blacksburg.
No more kicks were necessary.
The execution was complete. Chancellor010000-1 Blacksburg010000-1
Goals - Chancellor: Steve Heck. Blacksburg: Darren Cross. Assists - Chancellor: Jeff Hopkins. Blacksburg: none. Saves - Chancellor: Mark Thornburn 3. Blacksburg: Eric Baumgartner 15. Shots - 21-6, Chancellor.
by CNB