Bobcats’ Needham making strides
Published 7:56 am Thursday, September 7, 2017
DOWAGIAC — The final score may not show it, but the efforts of Brandywine sophomore goalkeeper Nicholas Needham have not gone unnoticed.
Needham stopped 24 shots in Dowagiac’s 8-0 victory over the Bobcats in a non-conference match Tuesday.
Some of Needham’s saves had him diving, tumbling and rolling across the goal mouth. The match may have ended in the 76th minute due to the mercy rule, but it would have ended much earlier had he not been stellar in the net.
“He was really raw when he started and has worked hard,” Brandywine co-coach Dan Perry said. “His heart is really in it. He wants to do his best to help his teammates.”
Joe Scoggin, the Bobcats’ other co-coach, agreed with Perry.
“We were very nervous going into the season with him as keeper,” he said. “But his focus has turned up and his skills have greatly improved. It is thrilling to watch him, but also heart-stopping and jaw-dropping to watch. He is making great saves and is vastly improved.”
Needham was particularly sharp against the Chieftain onslaught in the opening 40 minutes.
The Chieftains led 2-0 at halftime on a pair of Gage Williams goals, but it could have been far worse.
Needham said he has gotten over his nerves.
“It is just determination,” he said. “I want to get better and win. I want to help the team as much as I can.”
Williams finished with three goals, while Alec Saylor added goals No. 10 and 11 as the Chieftains improved to 5-0 on the year.
Williams scored the Chieftains’ first two goals of the match.
Cristian Wilson made it 3-0 early in the second half before Saylor scored his 10th goal of the season to extend the Chieftains’ lead to 4-0.
Williams then completed the hat trick three minutes late before Jose Carillo scored on a penalty kick to make it 6-0 in favor of the Chieftains.
Saylor scored his 11th goal and Edgar Bravo scored to cut the match a few minutes short due to the mercy rule at 8-0.
Dowagiac held a commanding 32-8 advantage in shots on goal.
The Chieftains’ Victor Zavala was credited with eight saves.
Perry said he saw some good things from his team, which was without one of its top players in freshman Bryce Taberski, who went home ill from school on Tuesday.
“We have to win those 50/50 balls if we want to be successful against the better teams,” he said. “We have to be more aggressive. But I saw a lot of good things out there even though we lost.”
Dowagiac return to action Wednesday when it hosts Coloma at 5 p.m., while Brandywine hosts Berrien Springs in a BCS Athletic Conference match also slated for a 5 p.m. start.