With 16 minutes to go in Friday night’s game against West Anchorage, the Juneau-Douglas High School Crimson Bears were trying to fight their way back from a two-goal deficit.
Then the lights went out. The field at Adair-Kennedy immediately went dark.
“We couldn’t see anything,” JDHS senior Tulio Fontanella said. “You’re kind of blinded for a second, just by the darkness.”
The clock kept ticking for about 90 seconds, then froze at 14:33 with West Anchorage leading 3-1. That would be the final score, as JDHS personnel couldn’t get access to the electrical system.
JDHS and West Anchorage were set to play again Saturday morning, and JDHS coach Gary Lehnhart said it wasn’t worth it to go through the time and work to get the lights back on Friday.
“It’s not the way you want the game to end at all, but it’s a friendly,” Lehnhart said. “It’s not a league game or anything like that, but it was in the best interests of the players to not sit around for 40 minutes and then try to pull it back up again and get hurt.”
The game didn’t count toward the team’s conference record, but it was the second loss in a row for the Crimson Bears after they fell to Kenai 1-0 on Thursday. JDHS is now 3-2-0 as the young season continues.
Beautiful night for soccer here in #Juneau. JDHS boys vs. West Anchorage just getting started. pic.twitter.com/eObkyWSoOj
— Empire Sports (@akempiresports) April 21, 2018
Both Lehnhart and Fontanella pointed out that there were plenty of opportunities for JDHS throughout Friday’s game. A corner kick midway through the first half yielded an open look at the net, but the shot hit the right post. The miss left multiple Crimson Bears holding their heads in their hands, shocked at the near miss.
Just minutes before the lights went out, the Crimson Bears had two good looks near the goal that didn’t find the back of the net. Lehnhart described his team as “snakebit,” and just not getting the breaks it needs to get to win.
“Kenai last night, we felt like we were right in there,” Fontanella said. “We had a chance. Then tonight again, I feel like we came out a little slow but we can play with these guys. It might take a little time, but we’ll be there.”
The lone JDHS goal came with two minutes left in the first half, as junior Clem Taylor-Roth scored off a pass from junior Kanon Goetz. Goetz slid as he crossed the ball from the right of the goal to the area just in front of the goal, where Taylor-Roth finished it off.
West Anchorage played aggressively and tested JDHS defensively, Lehnhart said, and he would have liked a better response from his players.
“I didn’t think that we stood up very well against their offensive pressure,” Lehnhart said. “I thought their two attacking players really got us on our heels. We definitely have work to do there.”
Lehnhart said he thought the back-to-back games against Kenai and West Anchorage gave his team a good test. Playing three games in three days also helps simulate a tournament environment.
As the players sat on the dark sideline after the game, Assistant Coach Mike Garcia preached the importance of drinking water and having a good breakfast the following morning (i.e. not a donut) prior to the 10:30 a.m. rematch against West Anchorage.
It’s early in the season, and the Crimson Bears are still trying to find their way, Fontanella said.
“I feel like we have a great group of guys,” Fontanella said. “This is probably one of the most cohesive teams I’ve been on. We’ll be there, but it’s just going to take some more time. We’ve got the talent.”
• Contact reporter Alex McCarthy at 523-2271 or amccarthy@juneauempire.com. Follow him on Twitter at @akmccarthy.
Juneau-Douglas’ Kanon Goetz is held onto by West Anchorage’s Keegan Burke at Adair-Kennedy Memorial Park on Friday, April 20, 2018. West won 3-1. (Michael Penn | Juneau Empire)
Juneau-Douglas’ Clem Taylor-Roth stretches to head a cross against West Anchorage at Adair-Kennedy Memorial Park on Friday, April 20, 2018. West won 3-1. (Michael Penn | Juneau Empire)
