Coach Jess Beaman and the 2021/2022 3A/2A/1A-SD4 Special District 4 Champions BHHS hosted the #5 ranked Oregon Episcopal Aardvarks in a second round play-off match up repeating last years semifinal round match up in Portland.
The #4 ranked Bruins earned Saturday’s homegame hoping to use the home cooking and home field advantage, but heavy rains during the week and as late as Friday night, saturated Bruin field leaving standing water and deep mud on the field. Field conditions made simple tasks, passing, trapping and footing difficult at best.
The first minutes of the contest consisted of both teams adjusting to how the field conditions were affecting how the game would be played. As both teams tested footing and found areas of the field that affected the travel of the ball on passes and shots, confidence grew with longer passes and controlled attacks.
The Bruins would strike first, just over 13 minutes into the game after junior forward Uriel Cortes #15 gathered up the ball and put it in the net, stunning the Aardvarks, and putting the Bruins up 1-0 early in the game.
Oregon Episcopal responded immediately, attacking the Bruin defense wide, and began using the field conditions to equalize the homefield advantage, using the conditions to take advantage of overplays and the ability to recover after committing.
With the Aardvarks spreading the field to the corners and isolating defenders, Oregon Episcopal broke the back line of the Bruin defense and scored to tie the game on a breakaway down the middle just 8 minutes later.
With the game tied at 1-1 midway through the first half, field conditions continued to play a large factor in play, as players adjusted to control their footing and touches on the ball.
Oregon Episcopal continued to isolate Bruin defenders by spreading the field to the touchlines, and extending runs on the outside to the end line, daring defenders to commit. But the Bruin defense adjusted, keeping the Aardvarks out of the penalty box with the ball, until a long cross from the right side got past the Bruin keepers outstretched hand and dropped at the corner of the goal. The ball was gathered up on the weak side by a pressing Aardvark forward and put behind the keeper, giving Oregon Episcopal a 1-2 lead just over half way through the first half of play.
The Aardvarks continued spread the field, and minutes later, drove the ball deep down the right side, sent into the middle on cross again out of reach of the keeper, and put in the net on the back side, extending the Aardvark lead to 1-3 just before the half.
To start the second half of play, the Aardvarks made few adjustments and continued isolate Bruin defenders, shortened their passes and allowed few if any open looks at the goal for the Bruin offense.
The Bruins adjusted to the Aardvark attack, and began to use the field conditions also, isolating the Aardvarks when possible, but the Oregon Episcopal defense closed distances, and disrupted passes and shots as both teams turned up the intensity as the second ticked away.
As time passed in the second half with the Aardvarks leading 1-3, their main goal was to not allow a Bruin goal and ride their lead, but the Bruins continued to press more aggressively each with each attack as field conditions deteriorated. With treacherous footing and intensity rising, so did the fouls, stopping attacks and momentum with scoring opportunities.
With less than 10 minutes in the game, and no scoring in the second half, a penalty was called against the Bruin defense in the box, awarding Oregon Episcopal a penalty kick that found the back of the net extending the Aardvark lead to 1-4 as the Bruin season came to an end.
Talking with Coach Beaman after the game, “We knew it would be a tough game going in, but our kids played their hearts out.” he said. “We just couldn’t get the ball in the back of the net, and we couldn’t hold off their attack. It was a disappointing loss,” he continued, “these young men can be proud of the way they have played all season…and for the seniors, they can hold their head high about how they have performed throughout, winning over 50 games with 0 losses in league play as group will be a difficult bar for any group of seniors to come.”
Congratulations to Head Coach Jess Beaman, his staff and this 2021/2022 3A/2A/1A-SD4 Special District 4 Champion Bruin High School Varsity Soccer Team.
