Panthers outlast Cardinals, even season series in league rivalry match

By HUNTER O. LYLE

lyleoleanstar@gmail.com

ALLEGANY, NY – For the past few years, the Cardinals have been a name circled on the Portville boy’s soccer team’s calendar. 

Each battling for footing atop the Cattaraugus Athletic Association Division II standings, the majority of the contests have come down to the wire, with the average score being separated by less than half a goal over the past three years – Randolph led the goal count in that window at 14-11 entering Wednesday. Through those tightly contested meetings, the two have found a budding rivalry.

“In these last several years, it’s been a battle each time. We know each other well enough to know what to expect, that always brings a part of the drama,” said Portville head coach JJ McIntosh, whose team lost the initial matchup with Randolph 3-2 in early September. “It’s one of the games on the calendar where we can’t afford not to play our best game.” 

In the season’s second meeting, with league implications on the line, the outcome was no different. Playing in lock-step with each other for the majority of 80 minutes, Portville carved out their fourth CCAA win of the season, sending Randolph home with a 2-0 loss. 

Playing on the heels of their third draw of the year, the Panthers were eager to set the tone early and with that in mind, they opened with aggression and speed. Deflecting off an early Cardinal advance, Portville worked the ball up the field, funneling it down the sidelines before crossing through the box or feeding their leading goal-scorer, Colin German, who finessed and maneuvered his way through multiple defenders before scanning for teammates. 

Their early assault paid off sooner rather than later. On one of his swift strikes into the box, German split two defenders before sending a touch to the right corner of the net, where Luke Edwards punched in his first goal of the season just before the 30-minute mark.

In the wake of their ice breaker, Portville continued to control the pace and dominate the possession, finding multiple trips into enemy territory and peppering the net but with no avail. However, shortly after, Randolph made a change. Putting a man-mark on German, the Cardinals quickly mucked up the middle, stalling the Panthers offense. 

With Portville subdued for the moment, the Cardinals wrestled for control, flipping the field and finding ample time with the ball. But shots failed to materialize. Despite crafting ways in close, the Panthers’ last line of defense staved off looks towards the net, preserving their narrow cushion entering halftime. 

“(Randolph) put three men up top and they weren’t playing through the middle very much. They were sending the ball up top and playing with speed,” said McIntosh. “It can be dangerous when you do that but I think our center backs did a really nice job.”

Returning to the field, the Cardinals pushed even harder on the pedal. 

Coming out with intensity, they continued to outpace the Panthers’ men in the midfield, taking large swaths of ground at the time and coming closer and closer to finding the equalizer. Meanwhile, Portville’s own offense, despite finding some breathing room up the middle, struggled to get on the same page. 

Trading trips down field with their threatening opponents, Portville started several runs only to mistime or mishandle the final touch that would have led to a shot. As both teams traded “almosts,” the clock began working to the Panthers’ advantage. 

With the pressure compounding against the Cardinals, they began to desperately push the pace, yet confronted a stalling wall of Maroon and White. Taking their time on side outs, meticulously passing rather than looking for possession-changing shots, and squeezing the life out of every trip down field, Portville nervously eyed the clock as it continued to drain. 

“Throughout the season, it’s all been just learning from our previous mistakes,” said McIntosh, noting three games where the Panthers have lost the lead with just a matter of seconds left. “I told them, if you’re going to shoot it, it better go in the goal.”  

Finally, in Randolph’s persistent rush, they let up a mistake. Attempting a back pass to restart their frenzied drive towards the net, the Cardinals saw a flash as German intercepted it. With just over two minutes left, he sparked his own fastbreak as two teammates streaked down the far side of the field. Having a three-on-goalkeeper race, German dished the ball to Garrett Reynolds who punched in the game-sealing goal. 

The win comes at a pivotal time for the Panthers. Having just five games left, all but one of them being league matchups, Portville now sits just two games behind in the standings. Seeing the silver lining the tight race before them, they are leaning on their confidence to carry them down the final stretch. 

“All of the goals we set before the season are there for us. It’s still there,” said McIntosh. “A lot of what we’re trying to do is there for us, we just have to keep building and keep working to get better.”