Peachtree Ridge Lions Soccer

SOUTH GWINNETT'S SPEED A GOOD EARLY SEASON TEST FOR LION DEFENSE

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February 19, 2011:  In a game that was more “back-and-forth” than the final score would indicate, the Peachtree Ridge Varsity Boys beat the South Gwinnett Comets 3- 0 on Friday night at Lion Stadium.  The Varsity boys are now 2-0-1 on the season.

“South Gwinnett is a team with some very strong athletes,” Coach Sutton said after the game. “When we did not take advantage of our early chances, so we had to put our heads down and go at them.  Our guys hung in and ultimately found a few holes, so we’ll take the win.  It wasn’t pretty, but we’ll take it.”

Peachtree Ridge started the game a little flat, which helped to magnify the Comet’s athleticism.  “The Comets are strong through the middle; their Center Back, Center Midfielders and Forwards are all quick, athletic, and dangerous,” Said Coach Sutton.  “We talked about them this week in practice, and we prepared for a direct style of play.  With their quickness, they are very strong on the counter attack.”

The Lion Defense dealt with Comet pressure from the counter-attack all night, and while at times the defense bent, it never broke.  The “Clean Sheet” is the second in as many games for the Lions.  Keeper Daryl Sack, with 5 saves, played a strong game in net, as did the starting defensive four – JT Taplin, Derek Bryant, Grayson Guldenschuh, and Nathaniel Grant.  

The game was back and forth in the first half. While the Lions had the better chances, they lacked the finishing touch.  In the last 10 minutes of the first half, Lion forward Chris Cook found a seam in the Comet defense courtesy of a flick-on header by Jeremy Rector.  At full stride, Cook went hard to the goal, only to be brought down by the Comet keeper.  The play resulted in a Lion penalty kick, which Cook calmly converted for a 1-0 Lion lead at the half.   

The second half saw an improvement in ball movement by the Lions – but the Lion attack continued to be frustrated by unconverted quality chances.  Andres Rodriguez, Michael Valenzuela, Cook and Rector each had chances that might have been.

Finally in the 60^thminute, Rodriquez was looking to put a ball over the top of the Comet defense to Rector.  As the Comet’s keeper went up to try and break up the play, the ball deflected off his hands and found the back of the net, putting the Lion’s up 2-0.  The miscue provided the Lions some much needed breathing room.

With the second goal in hand, the Lions settled into their more traditional style of play and controlled the tempo the rest of the way.  In the 70^thminute, Andres Rodriquez was at it again.  After a nice run down the right side beat the Comet’s right back at the baseline, Rodriquez found a wide open Rector in the box.  Rector’s one timer was true, putting the Lions up 3-0 and sealing the victory.

Next up, the Varsity Lions play Centennial on Thursday, February 24^th, at 7:30pm at Brookwood High School in a non-region match.