Beechwood 2 Boone Co 0…didn’t see this game so can’t give you any insights. 
 

Ryle 5 Cov Cath 1….the best soccer programs over the last few years put on the biggest disappointing game of the day. Cov Cath sits their Varsity players the whole game (except for the keeper) and play what looked to be JV/Freshman players. I get not wanting to have injuries, but geez….play your guys at least 20 minutes.   Ryle looked like they mixed in some starters with reserves and then played mostly JV players for the game. Not worth the $5 admission for the night cap game. 

Saturday results:

Villa Madonna 1 Holy Cross 1

Carroll County 3 Pendleton County 2

Scott 7 Walton 0

St. Henry 5 Grant County 0

Campbell County 2 SK 1

Connner 2 Bishop Brossart 2

I’ll give the recap for the Conner game. Just a little background…these programs for some odd reason really don’t like each other. Brossart scores first off a cross from the right side for an easy finish on the far post. Conner immediately comes back with a ball to Grady Noble who beats the defense and somehow gets one past the keeper on a very difficult angle. Nobel scores again on a breakaway with “a lazer of a shot” (quote from the young announcer up in the booth). Brossart player receives a red card (1st half) from a double yellow so the Mustangs have to play the remainder of the game down a player. Both Conner and Brossart played hard which was good to see and Brossart get the tying goal off a free kick from the 20 yard line with less than 3 minutes left in regulation . Arguably, the best shot of Soccerama came from Bishop Brossart. 
 

Reminder that Dixie Heights and Highlands play Monday. 

Final match results:

Highlands 3 Dixie 2. 
 

@FrankNicodemus not sure if you have any further insights for us. I wasn’t able to attend but I am interested in play of the game. 

NOTHING LIKE SOME MONDAY NIGHT FOOTBALL ACTION

It was going to be a hot one to start with the temperatures around 90 degrees, was worried about the turf temp for them to maybe make the play stop for hydration but luckily as the sun set the temperatures cooled so we didn't need that inconvenience during the match.  I was interested to see how Highlands and Dixie would play this game.  Would they try to make it a true Varsity game or were either team going to pull a Cov Cath and rest the main guys and throw out the JV squad to check a box to complete the Soccerama duty.  To much excitement for the fans and the local media we had ourselves a true Varsity match for what I would say was 63 minutes of the game.  

As far as Highlands went I was also interested with so many departures from the last Senior class how was this team going to shape out with so little experience they had coming back.  Everyone in NKY knew Harrison Gamble was going to lead the top of the attack but who was going to be on the pitch with him.  As of last night the Starting 11 included 6 other Seniors, 1 Junior, 1 Soph, and 2 Freshmen.  O and by the way I don't think we have brought this subject up, Suli has added to his coaching staff this season Brian Runyon who took last year off from High School coaching after being the Head Coach with Ryle girls program in '21 &  '22.  Brian will be Suli's right hand man as the Varsity Asst coach.  Tony Spaulding who served that role for Suli last year will be this years JV coach, with the departure of Ian Chang.

Now that we have all those back stories taken care of let's play some soccer!!!

The evening started with some nice opportunities for Dixie with their long ball passes that got behind Highlands backline for some close calls with Sam Lang in the goal.  Luckily all of them were denied by Sam or errant shots.  Highlands on the other end seemed to try to possess the ball more with strategic passes to find that team oriented attack to goal.  Harrison Gamble found him self around 15 or so minutes in with a nice break away with a 1v1 opportunity against Dixie keeper and the shot just went wide left.  

The Birds finally broke the 0-0 tie with a beautiful shot from Soph Midfielder Lewis McVicker.  I know @kyag mentioned the other night he saw the best goal of Soccerama, I beg to differ, if there is video out there on this goal by Lewis I would vote that this might have been the top.  It was a hip high bouncy ball right outside the 18 box and Lewis leaped up and put a nice volley strike on the ball to keep it just below the crossbar level to put it in the back of the net.  Beautiful shot!!!!  Birds 1, Dixie 0

I hope no one got out of their seats b/c Highlands came back on the attack just a few minutes later and Senior Midfielder Ethan Schweitzer connected almost an identical type of shot as Lewis's on the stands side hash mark that looped over the hands of the Dixie keeper.  Birds 2, Dixie 0

We are rolling now, Dixie finally got on the board with a foul called on the Birds a few feet outside the 18 box, Dixie was able to find a slight opening on the near post to sneak a goal in to draw a goal closer.  Birds 2, Dixie 1.

That ended the scoring in the first half.  As stated Birds & Dixie pretty much played the whole half with the starting squad with limited substitutions.  I would say Highlands maybe went 3 or 4 deep on the bench and I think Dixie did about the same.

Second half was pretty even match between the 2 teams.  until Harrison Gamble found Ethan Schweitzer on a thru ball that Ethan timed perfectly with the Dixie backline not to get the offside penalty called and was able to get the pass and hit the finish past the Dixie keeper to make it, Birds 3, Dixie 1.

I would say with 25 minutes left Dixie got their final opportunity with their right winger taking the ball down the sideline towards the corner flag and blast a cross that made it all the way thru the box to the far post where the Dixie left winger was there salivating to put the ball in the back of the net.  Birds 3, Dixie 2.

That was basically it for the "Varsity" game.  Both Highlands and Dixie in total unison emptied the benches with around 17 minutes left in the game to clear the field for the "reserves" to finish out the match.  No goals were conceded during this time.

I would say as an unbiased journalist I really like what I saw Highlands achieve last night.  They got themselves a team that thru the season will just get better and better each and every game.  I am sure there will be bumps in the road due to the lack of experience this team is starting the season with, but its a nice long season for everything to work its way out.

Really appreciate having the BGP media pass to sit in the luxurious Boone County press box for this epic battle. 

Next up:

Birds will kick off their regular season at Beechwood on Sat, Aug 17th

Dixie will have a quicker turnaround and kick off their regular season against the defending 9th Region champ Ryle at Ryle, Tue, Aug 13th.  What a way to start the season, WOW!!!! 

Until next time, this is Frank signing off!