I hope this game at Tower Park lived up to the excitement and pre-game hype, hopefully someone on the board was there in person and can give us a recap.  Highlands' talented front-line is tough to hold down, and it sounds like the Breds weren't able to either.  The Breds had given up 7 goals in their first 12 games, but surrendered 4 last night to the Birds.  

Highlands improves to 6-4-2 on the season.  The Birds have 3 very winnable games coming up with Holy Cross, MoCo (not a great version this year) and then Simon Kenton.

The Breds fall to 10-1-2, suffering their first loss of the season, and now get a scrappy Brossart team on Saturday.

The sun has set on the Breds at the Fort

The scene was set for a very exciting match with the NCC boys coming to town with an undefeated record of 10-0-2.  Even with that unblemished record you really wondered how good this team was.  They had 2 high quality ties against Conner and Cooper earlier in the year BUT they haven't really beaten anyone of note (maybe I'll give you a 2-0 win against SK in their 1st game as a quality win).  

The fans kept strolling in to Tower Park to fill up the stands and create a standing room only feel to watch this 36th District battle. O whose that I see, yes its Dale Mueller at Tower catching the game!

Well the Birds didn't waste any time striking first getting the ball into a corner kick situation with only a minute into the game.  Caden Schroeder served up a beautiful cross which found a falling backwards Colin Pieper who got just enough pace off his head to punch the ball towards the goal.  A NCC defender tried to swing at the ball to kick it out and it awkwardly hit the inside top of the net.....no idea if the ball was crossed the goal line or not before the attempted clear by NCC.....regardless Highlands 1 NCC 0!!

Birds played really well controlling the ball most of the game.  It really looked clean out there for the Birds!  Probably I must say the best the Birds looked on the field this year.  Chad Gesenhues looked like his old self, I know he was banged up a little bit a few weeks ago.  Personnel wise today they had Adarsh Khullar in the defensive mid position with Haggard, Jones, Fedders and Foley on the back line.  Connor Mathis was between the pipes.

Back to the game:  Birds halfway thru the 1st half was able to get another corner kick opportunity.  This time Caden Schroeder was able to serve another beautiful ball that Jack Haggard who moved up from the backline to be part of the Corner Kick set play was able to connect the serve into the back of the net......Highlands 2 NCC 0

That is how the half ended 2-0

In the second half once again Birds controlled the ball and the game really well, unfortunately not able to pile on any more goals before Ponchak unloaded the JV squad in the game with around 23 or so min left in the game.  Once again another gutsy coaching decision with only a 2-0 lead.

Fortunately for the Birds Jack Lavin was able to connect 2 back to back assists to Zach DeSylva for his first 2 Varsity goals of the season in the 60th and 64th min.  It will be interesting to see how Zach develops, he actually scored a goal in the JV game earlier in the night.  The boy is big (Sphire probably sees him in the halls and would like to put pads on him for a TE role).  Highlands 4 NCC 0

Unfortunately, though like so many times before this Highlands team always wants people to stay in their seats and not leave early, must be an agreement with the concession stands to unload inventory.  With around 15 minutes remaining NCC gets either a corner kick or a throw in by the corner flag I forget which one it was but the ball came straight down the goal line into the box bouncing untouched SOME HOW and finds a waiting NCC player to put the ball in the back of the net.  NO IDEA how that ball was able to get thru like that?!  Highlands 4 NCC 1

It gets more interesting a few minutes later NCC is able to find a runner out front who goes on a dead sprint with the ball into the box and gets sandwiched, tripped, tangled up with a Bird defender or 2, which is then rewarded with a PK opportunity for NCC.  And just like that we have, Highlands 4 NCC 2.  All of this happening with pretty much all reserves in on the pitch for Highlands.  Luckily Ponchak does the smart thing and with 5 minutes left in the game, says "I have seen enough of this" and yanks all the reserves off the field and puts the starters in the game to finish this out without any more mistakes being made.

The buzzer sounds 5 minutes later with no other action made for either team.

Highlands 4 NCC 2, FINAL!!!

I know and you know I am a little biased but I didn't see anything out of NCC to lead me to believe they are a Top 5 NKY team even though this is their first loss.

On the other hand except for the 10-15 min JV squad in the Varsity match the Birds starters looked REALLY REALLY good!!!!  Maybe even the best I have seen so far.

GO BIRDS!!!

Forgot to give the “undercard” matches some love! Clean sheets for the Birds in those games!

On 9/14/2022 at 9:38 AM, FrankNicodemus said:

The sun has set on the Breds at the Fort

The scene was set for a very exciting match with the NCC boys coming to town with an undefeated record of 10-0-2.  Even with that unblemished record you really wondered how good this team was.  They had 2 high quality ties against Conner and Cooper earlier in the year BUT they haven't really beaten anyone of note (maybe I'll give you a 2-0 win against SK in their 1st game as a quality win).  

The fans kept strolling in to Tower Park to fill up the stands and create a standing room only feel to watch this 36th District battle. O whose that I see, yes its Dale Mueller at Tower catching the game!

Well the Birds didn't waste any time striking first getting the ball into a corner kick situation with only a minute into the game.  Caden Schroeder served up a beautiful cross which found a falling backwards Colin Pieper who got just enough pace off his head to punch the ball towards the goal.  A NCC defender tried to swing at the ball to kick it out and it awkwardly hit the inside top of the net.....no idea if the ball was crossed the goal line or not before the attempted clear by NCC.....regardless Highlands 1 NCC 0!!

Birds played really well controlling the ball most of the game.  It really looked clean out there for the Birds!  Probably I must say the best the Birds looked on the field this year.  Chad Gesenhues looked like his old self, I know he was banged up a little bit a few weeks ago.  Personnel wise today they had Adarsh Khullar in the defensive mid position with Haggard, Jones, Fedders and Foley on the back line.  Connor Mathis was between the pipes.

Back to the game:  Birds halfway thru the 1st half was able to get another corner kick opportunity.  This time Caden Schroeder was able to serve another beautiful ball that Jack Haggard who moved up from the backline to be part of the Corner Kick set play was able to connect the serve into the back of the net......Highlands 2 NCC 0

That is how the half ended 2-0

In the second half once again Birds controlled the ball and the game really well, unfortunately not able to pile on any more goals before Ponchak unloaded the JV squad in the game with around 23 or so min left in the game.  Once again another gutsy coaching decision with only a 2-0 lead.

Fortunately for the Birds Jack Lavin was able to connect 2 back to back assists to Zach DeSylva for his first 2 Varsity goals of the season in the 60th and 64th min.  It will be interesting to see how Zach develops, he actually scored a goal in the JV game earlier in the night.  The boy is big (Sphire probably sees him in the halls and would like to put pads on him for a TE role).  Highlands 4 NCC 0

Unfortunately, though like so many times before this Highlands team always wants people to stay in their seats and not leave early, must be an agreement with the concession stands to unload inventory.  With around 15 minutes remaining NCC gets either a corner kick or a throw in by the corner flag I forget which one it was but the ball came straight down the goal line into the box bouncing untouched SOME HOW and finds a waiting NCC player to put the ball in the back of the net.  NO IDEA how that ball was able to get thru like that?!  Highlands 4 NCC 1

It gets more interesting a few minutes later NCC is able to find a runner out front who goes on a dead sprint with the ball into the box and gets sandwiched, tripped, tangled up with a Bird defender or 2, which is then rewarded with a PK opportunity for NCC.  And just like that we have, Highlands 4 NCC 2.  All of this happening with pretty much all reserves in on the pitch for Highlands.  Luckily Ponchak does the smart thing and with 5 minutes left in the game, says "I have seen enough of this" and yanks all the reserves off the field and puts the starters in the game to finish this out without any more mistakes being made.

The buzzer sounds 5 minutes later with no other action made for either team.

Highlands 4 NCC 2, FINAL!!!

I know and you know I am a little biased but I didn't see anything out of NCC to lead me to believe they are a Top 5 NKY team even though this is their first loss.

On the other hand except for the 10-15 min JV squad in the Varsity match the Birds starters looked REALLY REALLY good!!!!  Maybe even the best I have seen so far.

GO BIRDS!!!

This is the best I saw Highlands play. I think the coaching staff fielded the correct starting XI. This was, arguably, the best technical game I have seen Highlands play as well. Passes were crisp and accurate. If the Birds play this way for the remainder of the season, it is hard not to consider them the favorites in the 9th. The student section wasn't too bad either.

The NCC team that showed up Tuesday night is not a top 5 region team. They seemed a lot slower and more reactive than the previous 2 games I saw them play. Defense seemed undisciplined at all 3 levels of the pitch. I will say, even when playing poorly, the goals conceded are preventable. As dominant as Highlands was in the first half (can throw in the 2nd as well), both goals were scored on restarts. You have to credit Highlands game plan - keep the ball, spread the field, wear down the shallow-benched Thoroughbreds. The good thing for NCC, they get another chance at their rivals in a more meaningful game in October.