Boys Soccer Gets Much-Needed 3-2 Victory

Posted: April 13, 2013
By ROBERT NIEDZWIECKI

WINCHESTER — As James Wood boys’ soccer coach Matt Dunsmore made his way across the slick Kelican Stadium grass, he grinned and remarked, “That was interesting,” in regard to what had just transpired.

Definitely more interesting than what the Colonels would have liked, but they’ll definitely take it.

After building up a three-goal halftime lead, James Wood survived two Broadway goals in the final 11 minutes to win 3-2 in non-district action Friday night.

Given the way the Colonels started the game, not getting a win out of Friday might have made this weekend seem particularly long.

James Wood (3-3-1) played its third game in four days and had lost the previous two, including 2-0 in Thursday’s Northwestern District encounter with Sherando.

“It was a close game, but we held on for the win,” said senior forward Jon Henriques, who scored the games’s first two goals. “That’s all that matters in the end.”

The end nearly saw overtime. After taking a long ball from the back, Brandon Hylton didn’t miss the left post by much when he fired from the top of the penalty box in the game’s final two minutes.

But James Wood — which beat Broadway (3-4) 2-0 in its season opener — proved resilient in holding on, and it can definitely appreciate an effort in which it created numerous scoring chances and easily could have won by more. The Colonels finished with a 20-9 shot advantage and forced Broadway goalkeeper Phillip Ewell to make seven saves.

“In the first half, it definitely looked like we got our passes around,” Henriques said. “We were swinging the ball, getting it up, had plenty of opportunities. We weren’t able to finish all of them, but we definitely got a lot of opportunities, which is good.”

Thanks in large part to the playmaking of senior midfielder Michael Carter and the finishing ability of Henriques, James Wood converted enough.

The second of two beautiful long passes from Carter helped James Wood get on the board less than six minutes into the game. With Carter on the left side and more than 35 yards from goal, he flicked a perfect pass toward the far post that led Matt Rader.

Rader’s chip back toward the middle deflected off a defender a few yards away from the goal. Henriques then ran onto the ball and fired it in for a 1-0 lead, then celebrated by flipping head-over-heels while landing on his feet.

Nineteen minutes later, Henriques struck again. After a punt from senior goalkeeper Logan Moore (three saves), Dunsmore credited Carter for winning the ball in the midfield and playing it up top to Henriques. Henriques proceeded to dribble in on Ewell and flicked the ball past him in the 25th minute for a 2-0 lead.

Henriques wasn’t able to get a hat trick — he missed out on a great chance six minutes later when he freed himself with a spin move in the penalty box, but fired high — but his goal-scoring has been huge for James Wood this year. Henriques’ nine goals this year lead all Northwestern District players.

Dunsmore said those first two goals are an example of what James Wood’s capable of when it’s firing on all cylinders.

“We talk a lot about quick transition, and that’s something we have in spades,” Dunsmore said. “We can play quick, we can play fast, with anybody. When done properly, it’s so hard to stop.

“They’re a great combo. Both [Henriques and Carter] can go one-on-one all day. Both of them have tremendous speed, good vision, and they never stop working.”

Just before the half, Tommy Houser scored to put the Colonels up 3-0. But though James Wood continued to generate chances in the second half, Dunsmore felt collectively, the Colonels didn’t work as hard.

Broadway’s first goal came as a result of a passive approach from the Colonels on a free kick from midfield — they allowed it to bounce once before an unmarked Jayson Hahn headed the ball in during the 70th minute. Dylan Peachy then made it a one-goal game in the 77th minute, but the Gobblers couldn’t find the equalizer.

“We stopped playing more than they started playing [in the second half],” Dunsmore said. “Anytime you’re up 3-0, it’s a good feeling. And their defense played well and figured out what we were trying to do.

“One thing we’re going to work on is focusing for 80 minutes. But anytime we can get a win is great. Three games in four days, these guys are physically tired and emotionally tired. The fact that we did get that third game is great.”

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