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The Rockbridge County High School boys soccer team picked up a muchneeded win last Tuesday, defeating Broadway 3-1 in a Valley District match in Lexington.
Cole Boller-Pinkham scored twice, including the match-winner in the 49th minute, as the Wildcats snapped a six-game losing streak and secured their first district victory of the season.
The Wildcats’ performance against the Gobblers was fairly comprehensive. After surrendering an early lead with a defensive miscue just before halftime, RC (2-8 overall, 1-3 district) came out and controlled play for long stretches of the second half – so the victory was well-earned. Broadway ended the week at 5-8 overall and 0-5 in the district.
“We kind of had this game circled. We always play them very tightly,” RC head coach Scott Youngdahl said of the matchup with Broadway. “We knew this was going to be our chance – especially, when we get into district play, that this is one we can get.”
Boller-Pinkham got the Wildcats on the board in the ninth minute, turning in a rebound after Noah Carroll’s initial attempt was saved by Gobbler goalkeeper Dillon Rhodes, who totaled eight stops in the match.
Bryan Vasquez-Mendez made a pair of critical – and spectacular – saves in the first half for the Wildcats, parrying aside Leyden Mongold’s penalty kick in the 19th minute and denying the same Broadway player on a sharp free kick five minutes later.
Chris Alvarenga equalized for the Gobblers in the 34th minute, tapping home after a failed clearance attempt had left the net wide open.
That kind of fluky goal could have shattered the confidence of a defense that has recently struggled to contain highscoring district opponents Harrisonburg, Turner Ashby and Spotswood. But instead, the Wildcats regrouped for an excellent back-third performance in the second 40-minute set.
Youngdahl believes that his team is adjusting well to a recent schematic change, as RC has switched from five in the back to a four-man system. He also praised the play of Ethen Camden at the central defensive midfield spot, a key link between the back line and the team’s attacking players.
“This was only our second game back with a four-back,” Youngdahl said. “There’s been some good communication – but also being comfortable with this new four-back system that we’re trying out.”
With the Wildcats locking down the Gobblers’ attack – Broadway managed just one shot on target after halftime – the offense was able to get to work. Boller-Pinkham put RC ahead for good just over eight minutes into the period, picking up a deflected pass and producing a tidy finish from the top of the 18-yard box.
Leandro Tenorio tallied his first varsity goal and provided some insurance for the Wildcats in the 58th minute, ripping in a shot from the right side of the area that was created by Emmet King-Bond’s pass from the touchline.
“Emmet King-Bond played a great game on the wing,” said Youngdahl, who was thrilled with his team’s execution in the final third. “We stayed focused, and we didn’t blow our shots. We put them on frame.”
RC managed the lead well in the final 20 minutes, absorbing Broadway’s pressure without allowing many quality scoring chances. For the match, the Wildcats outshot the Gobblers 21-12, including an 11-5 edge in shots on goal.
The Wildcats’ home game scheduled for last Friday against Harrisonburg was postponed due to inclement weather. RC returns to district action at Spotswood this Friday before playing host to Turner Ashby on Tuesday, beginning with junior varsity action at 5:30 p.m. on both nights.
