By By STEVE MORRISON / Niles Daily Star
NILES – In its season finale at home, the Brandywine boys' soccer team gave their fans a reason to smile.
On a dreary, rain soaked evening, the Bobcats walked away with a with a 3-0 drubbing of guest New Buffalo.
"It was great to conclude our regular home season schedule with a victory," a rain-drenched Jim McNamara commented. "It was nice for our seniors to go out with a win. We came out (in the first period) a little flat due to distractions, because of senior night. We came out in the second half moving the ball better."
Brandywine maintained total control of the ball for most of the game. The visiting Bisons rarely accounted for any offensive threat to the Bobcats. Most of the action on the night was played on the visitors' side of mid-field. Impenetrable defense contributed by Will Coar, Nathan Baliant, and Brett Gilpin turned away the few serious surges by the New Buffalo team in the first segment.
While the Bobcat defense repelled the Bisons, Greg Beaver, assisted by Brandon Peterick, provided the only scoring that the Bobcats would need with a wide-open shot, in front of the net, that trickled past Bison goalie Brandon Rogers at 31:16 of the first frame. The half ended with Brandywine ahead, 1-0, and looking for more success. Several of the home team's shots sailed high through the football crossbars, but not low enough to enter the "promised land."
When the skies opened for a steady down-pour, at the beginning of the second half, the goal of the Bisons seemed to become more "pour-us" as well. Jacob Harris rammed home a rebound of a save by Rogers off of Greg Beaver's rocket at 33:09,of the final half, to make it 2-0, Brandywine. Aaron Marquardt slammed home a well-placed corner kick from Elliot Richards at 1:43 to put the game out of reach, 3-0.
The only significant threat of the night by New Buffalo was a breakaway by Tom Selby with less than 10 minutes left. Marquardt, Joe Saenz, and Baliant recovered to help reject Selby's bid for a score. Matt Liebetrau, Stone Hadley, and Brandon Peterick were rock-solid on defense, as well, in the closing minutes.
"We're getting more consistent, better every game," concluded a smiling McNamara. Hold faith that the post-season holds some more promise for the young 'Cats.
Brandywine …3
New Buffalo …0
Halftime Score
Brandywine 1, New Buffalo 0
First Half
(BR) Greg Beaver, Brandon Peterick (assist) 31:16
Second Half
(BR) Jake Harris, Beaver (assist) 33:09
(BR) Aaron Marquardt, Elliott Richards (assist) 13:43
Shots on Goal
New Buffalo 3, Brandywine 13
Saves
New Buffalo 10 (Brandon Rogers)
Brandywine 3 (Jacob Exner)