The Juneau-Douglas High School: Yadaa.at Kalé Crimson Bears boys soccer team defended their Adair Kennedy pitch again against a visiting Railbelt Conference foe, this time toppling powerhouse West Valley 1-0 on Friday night.
“It was a very even game,” JDHS coach Gary Lehnhart said. “I think for us the exciting thing is that we didn’t really know what to expect against a good opponent from the big schools. We haven’t been there in a few years. You just never know. So I was pleased with the way we stepped up. We competed. We really implemented what we practiced and they did it well.”
JDHS freshman Troy Edgar scored the game’s only goal in the opening minutes of the second half off a controlled ball by classmate Bryce Haygood.
“Kai (Ciambor) crossed the ball in the box and then I chested it off to Troy and then he hit it,” Haygood said. “He volleyed it into the bottom left corner…I didn’t know what to expect from Kai. I really thought it was going to go to the top of the box to Troy, but it came to me and I saw Troy open for the volley and I just chested it to him.”
Edgar eagerly took the ball and placed it in off his right foot.
“As soon as I saw the ball coming, crossed to Bryce, I saw that he took a touch,” Edgar said. “I knew I had to tell him to leave it because I had a good angle for a shot in the bottom left. My second varsity goal. It feels good.”
JDHS freshman Bryce Haygood (15) wins a ball from West Valley junior Eli Moore during the Crimson Bears’ 1-0 win over the Wolfpack on Friday at Adair Kennedy Park. The teams play again at noon Saturday. (Klas Stolpe / Juneau Empire).
JDHS controlled the game throughout with their midfield and defense.
West Valley put in a spirited final 10 minutes as they searched for the tying goal, but JDHS would not back down.
“We controlled that match,” Lehnhart said. “I felt like we had better chances and controlled the match until the end. And that is what always happens. The team that is trailing just puts the energy in and it hard to close out a game. The natural thing is to lay back a little bit. So we have to work on that. I thought we did alright, even with the fact that they were putting pressure on us.”
The Crimson Bears handled that pressure by attacking the Wolfpack forwards and not letting them settle under balls or go unmarked around the box.
“The big thing is we went to the ball,” coach Lehnhart said. “We didn’t stay back. What I was worried about is would they against good players be afraid and intimidated and they weren’t. Right from the very beginning they kept putting pressure on them and that’s what we wanted them to do and that’s what they did.”
JDHS senior Owen Rumsey earned the team’s Lunchpail Award for his play in the match.
“Gary said this was the best game he has ever seen me play,” Rumsey said. “And I was just hustling the whole time, I was getting after it. Keeping my head in the game was key and just knowing who I have to mark. Things like that. Being as physical as I can. They are a physical team and I just have to match that level of energy and physical strength I guess.”
The JDHS boys improve to 1-0 in the RBC and 3-0 overall.
The Crimson Bears play West Valley at noon Saturday, following the girls 10 a.m. game against the Wolfpack girls.
West Valley last came to Juneau during the 2010 state championships when the Crimson Bears hosted at AKF. The two squads did not meet during the championships. JDHS defeated Wasilla 3-1 to open play, nipped Colony 1-0 in overtime in the semifinals and won the title 2-1 over Dimond. West Valley lost to Dimond 2-0 and Grace Christian 3-2.
• Contact Klas Stolpe at klas.stolpe@juneauempire.com.
