As they embark on the second half of their season, the Lake Center Christian School boys' soccer team is looking for momentum to bounce back from a tough 2-6 start. The Tigers may have found that momentum by taking to the road and defeating Ravenna 5-2 on Sept. 22.
"Ravenna was the first game of the 2nd half of our season and I'm hoping this is the turning point of our season," head coach Eric Schroll said. "We are gaining confidence each day out and despite a 3-6 record, we know we are better than that."
The win didn't come easily for LCCS, with the host Ravens jumping out to a 1-0 just 13 minutes into the game. But the Tigers didn't hang their heads, rallying back less than five minutes later with a goal of their own by TJ Kline, assisted by Charles McMullen, to tie the game at 1-1.
Moments later, another through ball led to a second goal, this one tallied by senior Darius Scott off an assist by Eros Caso, and a 2-1 lead for LCCS. At that point, it appeared the Tigers had seized the momentum, but Ravenna was able to counter with an equalizer and knot the game at 2-2. The turning point of the game came just before halftime, when LCCS posted its third goal to cap a strong offensive first half and head into halftime with an added boost of confidence. Junior Brock Justice, the team's leading scorer, found the back of the net to give his team the lead and provided a prime example of the changes that Schroll has been looking to put in place for his team.
"We've been diligent about working on our spacing, passes and timing of passes, and some basic strategies. We changed our lineup on the field and found one that is really working," Schroll explained.
In the second half, it the focus of the game shifted from offense to defense and it was LCCS freshman goalie Danny Raines who stepped to the forefront to help his team secure the win. With both teams going scoreless for the first 25 minutes of the second half, Raines made key saves and was able to provide the strong presence between the pipes that Schroll has been seeking since inserting Raines into the starting lineup mid-game in the team's first game of the year.
"Danny Raines has made incredible improvements and he is making some terrific saves right now," observed Schroll. "There is one area that we are giving attention to, but his punts have improved and I can't say enough about how much Danny is contributing to the success of this team."
With 15 minutes left in the game, LCCS finally got back on the board courtesy of Justice's second goal of the contest after a second half in which neither team was able to consistently control the ball or the tempo of the game. The Tigers got an insurance goal in the game's final minutes when forward Denver Coblentz fired a quick shot from 30 yards out to catch Ravenna goalkeeper Brandon Mihok out of position and tally his team's fifth and final goal of the game. Following the game, Schroll pointed to the victory as a big one for his squad, which has struggled defensively at times through its first eight games.
"This was a big win for us," he declared. "We have been getting much better although our record has not quite showed that yet. I keep stressing the importance of doing the right things and the results will come around."
For a team coming off of a pair of tough losses to Alliance and Wickliffe last week, the win could prove to be a stepping stone for a successful second half of the season. Many of the Tigers' struggles have come from digging themselves early holes and having to rally late in games, but against Ravenna they were able to shake their early malaise before halftime and get on the board. Their focus remains on the district tournament at the end of the season, a tournament Schroll believes can still be a successful one for his team.
"If we can stay healthy and avoid injury, I like our chances in the tournament, but only time will tell," Schroll said.
