02.24.07
Scoring well runs dry for Drillers
Scoring well runs dry for Drillers
BHS plays 110 scoreless minutes, falls in shootout
BY BRAD RIDDELL, Californian staff writer
e-mail: briddell@bakersfield.com | Friday, Feb 23 2007 11:55 PM
Last Updated: Saturday, Feb 24 2007 12:00 AM
CLOVIS
During warmups, Clovis-Buchanan’s size advantage over visiting Bakersfield was apparent. During the opening minutes of Friday’s Central Section Division I championship match, the Bears’ speed advantage was evident as well.
But the winner on the soccer field isn’t determined merely by who the bigger and faster team is.
The No. 3 Drillers proved as much, battling to a 0-0 tie after regulation, before falling to No. 1 Buchanan 4-3 on penalty kicks Friday at Buchanan.
“It’s positional,” Bakersfield coach Leslie O’Connor said of overcoming Buchanan’s physical superiority. “You use good angles.”
Buchanan rolled through the regular season without losing a game, thrashing opponents and earning its No. 1 seed. Bakersfield made the Bears earn their opportunites Friday, even making runs at the goal that threatened to give the Drillers an early lead.
“Bakersfield just came in strong and tested us more than any team has this year,” Buchanan coach Erik Farfan said. “Our defense hung tough.”
Keeper Breanna Wirtado in particular made things difficult for Bakersfield. She snuffed out scoring opportunities three times, keeping the Drillers off the board and giving Buchanan a chance to win in the shootout.
Four minutes into the match, Bakersfield’s Gabby Klipp had a breakaway shot that Wirtado made a diving save at. That save led to three fruitless corner kicks for the Drillers.
With 14 minutes left in regulation, Klipp again made a run that drew the keeper out of the net. Her shot went right into the arms of a charging Wirtado, and the game remained 0-0.
A third time, 12 minutes into overtime, Klipp again had a close shot that Wirtado made a save on.
“I was hoping coming in that we would have two or three big chances,” O’Connor said. “We got a couple, we just couldn’t convert. The third one was the best of the game, for either team.”
Buchanan had chances of its own to score throughout the game, but Bakersfield keeper Jillian Hanawalt, along with the help from Liz Crowe, Kari Storslett and others, made sure the Bears didn’t get in the net.
After 80 minutes of regulation, 20 minutes of overtime and two 5-minute sudden death periods, the shootout commenced to determine the section champion.
Madison McQuilliams, Liz Crowe and freshman Nikki Storslett connected for the Drillers, but Wirtado was able to make two saves and help the Bears to a second-consecutive title.
“To lose on penalty kicks, that’s tough,” O’Connor said.
This is still a young Bakersfield team, one that had six freshmen and sophomores logging extensive playing time Friday. In the end, favored and experienced Buchanan needed more than 100 minutes of soccer and a five-player shootout to claim the championship.
“No team has taken them down to the wire like this,” O’Connor said. “I think we did Bakersfield proud.”
