By HUNTER O. LYLE
BRADFORD, PA – Desperate to get their season back on track, the Bradford soccer team was able to add another win to their record with a 6-0 win over Oil City, a victory emblazoned by the Senior Night celebration.
This rendition of Owls soccer was not the same that had just won three consecutive District 9 Class 4A Championships. Bradford, who came into their matchup with the Oilers at 2-10-1, had lost significant pieces from their roster a season ago, namely their star forward Mitch Strauss. During his four years at Parkway Field, the two-time Big 30 All Star and one-time Big 30 Most Valuable Player tallied 45 goals and set the record for assists with 65.
Now, however, the Owls’ leadership falls upon their five seniors: Jared Caldwell, Gabe Tate, Aiden Willard, Damiano Dal Pos and Owen Manion.
“The seniors have done very well, it’s just we’re so very heavily freshman loaded,” said Bradford head coach Peter Butler. “Half our squad is freshmen and they have to be molded. It’s frustrating for some of the upperclassmen, especially with how the season’s gone.”
There was no hiding the blatant difference on the sidelines. While Bradford had an almost complete second squad, the Oilers bench remained vacant and with no reserves, conservative play was the name of the game. Off the initial tip, Bradford took the ball up field with total composure while the Oilers back peddled and waited for their advance.
This, the initial few moments of play, would prove to be a microcosm for the remainder of the game. The Owls would relentlessly penetrate into their opponent’s territory while the Oilers simply looked to clear the ball at any chance they got. After five minutes of play, Bradford’s all-out pursuit paid off. Following a corner kick, the Owls’ first shot rang off the goal post only to find Landon Lohrman, who found the back of the net from just a few feet away.
From there, the Owls’ attack intensified. Already finding an easy pass into the Oilers’ box, Bradford began to berraide Oil City’s goal with any and every shot they found. An already overwhelmed Oil City squad became frantic, desperate to keep Bradford at bay. Despite the constant pressure they faced, the Oilers’ defense kept Bradford from growing their lead on the scoreboard and with their renewed perseverance came their first offensive possession.
Approaching the final five minutes, Oil City broke through midfield and, while they weren’t able to get off a shot on their initial drive, they were able to repeat the effort in successive drives. However, attrition begets attrition and soon the Oilers’ tired legs were showing through. Their ebbs up field soon faded, replaced with the continuous Owls’ advances. With that came Bradford’s second goal, made possible by a Oilers’ self-inflicted wound. A routine clearance by the Oil City goalkeeper rolled up the center, giving Willard a perfect opportunity to cash one in from afar to give Bradford a two-score lead going into the break.
“The second goal just before halftime was a big one,” said Butler. “It made us come out strong and that’s when we started pushing the ball around and playing a little better.”
If Oil City had mustered any momentum, courage or bravado during the halftime break, it was robbed from them almost immediately. Just two minutes into the second half, a whiffed routine save by the Oilers’ goalkeeper let in the Owls’ third score, punched in by the opportunistic Caldwell. Two minutes later, Lohrman notched his second goal of the night after a deflection wound up at his feet.
This would be the final straw in any comeback story. From there on, Bradford’s offense did whatever they wanted, cruising into Oil City’s territory and posting up for the remainder of the match. The Owls would notch three more goals, the first coming from Manion at the 54th minute, another from Tate at the 71st minute and a final take-this-home-with-you goal from Trenton Johnson with just seven seconds left on the clock. A team desperate for a win had found a dominant one that may perhaps spark a run to secure a playoff spot.
“This win puts us back on target a little bit. It depends on how we do in the next four games whether we make the playoffs or not,” said Butler. “Personally, (the team) has to show a little more against some of the other teams.”
The four games ahead are against Meadville and Erie, both at home on Tuesday and Thursday, before the Owls take to the road on Saturday to play DuBois. The final game of the season will be at home against Warren next Wednesday. In their earlier matchups, the Owls have gone 0-4 against this field of competition.
“Those four games, they could go either way,” said Butler, “and we need to make them go our way.”
Lohrman led the day with two goals, while Willard, Caldwell, Manion, Tate and Johnson all contributed a score in the win.
GIRLS SOCCER
Bradford 11, Franklin 0
BRADFORD, PA – The Lady Owls also got a dominating win on Senior Night, with Bella Prince and Alyssa Mangold each scoring four goals a piece.
Prince, one of the team’s two seniors, also registered a team-high five assists while Mangold, a sophomore, had three. Grace Close, the other senior, also scored along with Kierstin Taylor, who also had an assist in the win.
