FRESHMEN LEAD STANTON PAST CREEKSIDE
FABRIZIO GOWDY | DECEMBER 1, 2020 | SPORTS
Led by its freshmen, the Stanton College Preparatory School Blue Devils girls soccer team shut out the Creekside High School Knights 2-0 at home Monday.
“Creekside is a really good team so we are excited to beat them,” said freshman Stanton forward Courtney Brown. “We played well all around.”
The 12 mile per hour winds blowing from the West and against Stanton did not help the Blue Devils in the first half. Stanton initially struggled to move the ball up the field, especially on goal kicks, and Creekside played several effective through balls, creating a nerve-wracking opening 20 minutes for the Blue Devils.
Creekside won the possession battle in the early going, creating scoring opportunities and putting Stanton on the defensive. But it was the Blue Devils who struck first, making the most of their relatively few first half opportunities. In the 27th minute, Creekside keeper Madeline Behan couldn't hang on to a Stanton shot, allowing the ball to bounce forward into the six-yard box. Coming in from the right side, Stanton’s Courtney Brown was ready, taking possession of the ball and chipping it into the back of the net for a goal.
Suddenly up 1-0, the Blue Devils fended off the Knights for the remainder of the half. Stanton's defensive backs played well, and senior keeper Kaidyn Gonzales came up with a leaping save in the 35th minute.
With the wind at its back entering the second half, it did not take long for Stanton to extend its lead. In the 45th minute, freshman forward Emma Griner took control of the ball a few yards beyond the left side of the 18-yard box and scored an impressive goal, her shot finding the top left corner of the net. Less than 10 minutes later, Griner nearly scored a similar goal from the right side, but this time her shot was just within the reach of Madeline Behan, who knocked it over the crossbar.
“We definitely had some great play from our forwards,” said Stanton head coach Brian Heggood.
Solid play from Stanton's defensive backs and keeper in the final minutes preserved the shutout. Tatum Register and Emma Hoffmanin particular helped keep the Knights' opportunities limited, and Kaidyn Gonzales continued her strong performance with a pair of late saves.
Early in the season, the result is promising for the young Stanton side; Coach Heggood described the game as “encouraging.” The Blue Devils went on a deep postseason run last year, but lost several graduating seniors.
Creekside drops to 0-3-1, while Stanton improves to 1-1-2. The Blue Devils’ next match is at Bartram Trail High School on Dec. 3.