Sports Update
Plano on top of district mud pile
By Andrew Snyder Staff Writer
ALLEN -- The rain fell on Allen alone during the team’s 2-0 loss to Plano Tuesday as the Wildcats owned the slop of Ford Field.
It was a dreary senior night for the Eagles.
“It was a tough loss,” said John Kaschak, Allen senior keeper. “But I just like what our coaches said, we haven’t been playing like a team lately and to be honest we’re in the playoffs, which is good news, but after today the level of play has to pick up. The intensity level of the team now isn’t there and it needs to get there or else this is going to be over soon.”
Despite the unsure footing, the Wildcats managed to keep the ball with their forwards for a steady avenue of attack. Senior Dillon Powers drew defenders, which limited both his own movement and the attention of the Eagles defense. One eye on Powers left only one for the rest of the field. Plano struck early with a drive by senior Ryan Brown that was handily broken up by senior Trey Schuchart.
“Warm-up looked all right, I just don’t think we came in with the right mindset,” said Matt McLaughlin, Allen junior. “We just thought we where going to cruise by and that wasn’t the case. They came out to play.”
On the defensive, Plano was solid when under pressure. Allen had a pair of further good looks later on, each stifled by Plano senior defender Ryan McDuff. Playing a back-up keeper of sorts, McDuff prevented senior Trevor Petty from capitalizing on a slide past the goalie and junior Trevor Harmon from scoring after he leaped over a Wildcats defender.
It was a fair match toward Plano, as they both controlled the ball and were the exclusive scorers. Nearing the middle of the first half, Brown, with McDuff on his wing, dribbled past the Allen defense and put the ball in for a 1-0 advantage. The half almost ended with more pain for Allen as senior Andrew Davidson drew his second yellow and left the game.
In the 47th minute, Powers broke free of his defenders and headed in a corner kick courtesy of Brown.
“We told them at halftime we were looking for the second,” said Bob Weir, Plano head coach. “To take some of the pressure off, because we did that last game against them and allowed them to score with about 10 minutes left in the game, so we tied 1-1.”
With the pace of the match even further the Wildcats way it was difficult to imagine the Eagles recovering. Powerful shots on goal were batted away by Wildcats junior keeper Sean Cote, who no longer needed McDuff to keep the goal safe. The Plano fans shouted “that’s a keeper” after his every block.
“They had three or four good shots like we said,” Weir said. “But Sean made some good saves to keep it in there…he kept them out of the goal for us and he did great, probably his best job on that for the year.”
Although Allen tried to piece together a run, they were repeatedly defused a pass short of becoming dangerous. And once again the Wildcats had a near goal. Powers dribbled downfield with two defenders on his trail and sent the ball over to junior Michael Darrow, who had a clear path. He lined up and shot, but the ball went wide to edge out Kaschak’s hands at the side of the goal.
Back in its territory Plano was outdoing Allen man-to-man. When Eagles junior Frankie Ramirez broke inside and was headed toward the goal, Wildcats senior Brett Hardy was able to solely head him off. The distance between the second and third place slots in District 8-5A was beginning to show.
Kaschak managed an impressive save in the 75th minute by taking a dead-on shot from Brown. The game ended without further incident and Plano picking up the 2-0 win.
It was a dreary senior night for the Eagles.
“It was a tough loss,” said John Kaschak, Allen senior keeper. “But I just like what our coaches said, we haven’t been playing like a team lately and to be honest we’re in the playoffs, which is good news, but after today the level of play has to pick up. The intensity level of the team now isn’t there and it needs to get there or else this is going to be over soon.”
Despite the unsure footing, the Wildcats managed to keep the ball with their forwards for a steady avenue of attack. Senior Dillon Powers drew defenders, which limited both his own movement and the attention of the Eagles defense. One eye on Powers left only one for the rest of the field. Plano struck early with a drive by senior Ryan Brown that was handily broken up by senior Trey Schuchart.
“Warm-up looked all right, I just don’t think we came in with the right mindset,” said Matt McLaughlin, Allen junior. “We just thought we where going to cruise by and that wasn’t the case. They came out to play.”
On the defensive, Plano was solid when under pressure. Allen had a pair of further good looks later on, each stifled by Plano senior defender Ryan McDuff. Playing a back-up keeper of sorts, McDuff prevented senior Trevor Petty from capitalizing on a slide past the goalie and junior Trevor Harmon from scoring after he leaped over a Wildcats defender.
It was a fair match toward Plano, as they both controlled the ball and were the exclusive scorers. Nearing the middle of the first half, Brown, with McDuff on his wing, dribbled past the Allen defense and put the ball in for a 1-0 advantage. The half almost ended with more pain for Allen as senior Andrew Davidson drew his second yellow and left the game.
In the 47th minute, Powers broke free of his defenders and headed in a corner kick courtesy of Brown.
“We told them at halftime we were looking for the second,” said Bob Weir, Plano head coach. “To take some of the pressure off, because we did that last game against them and allowed them to score with about 10 minutes left in the game, so we tied 1-1.”
With the pace of the match even further the Wildcats way it was difficult to imagine the Eagles recovering. Powerful shots on goal were batted away by Wildcats junior keeper Sean Cote, who no longer needed McDuff to keep the goal safe. The Plano fans shouted “that’s a keeper” after his every block.
“They had three or four good shots like we said,” Weir said. “But Sean made some good saves to keep it in there…he kept them out of the goal for us and he did great, probably his best job on that for the year.”
Although Allen tried to piece together a run, they were repeatedly defused a pass short of becoming dangerous. And once again the Wildcats had a near goal. Powers dribbled downfield with two defenders on his trail and sent the ball over to junior Michael Darrow, who had a clear path. He lined up and shot, but the ball went wide to edge out Kaschak’s hands at the side of the goal.
Back in its territory Plano was outdoing Allen man-to-man. When Eagles junior Frankie Ramirez broke inside and was headed toward the goal, Wildcats senior Brett Hardy was able to solely head him off. The distance between the second and third place slots in District 8-5A was beginning to show.
Kaschak managed an impressive save in the 75th minute by taking a dead-on shot from Brown. The game ended without further incident and Plano picking up the 2-0 win.
Copyright © 2013 - Star Local News