HTC boys speed overcomes physical Columbus squad

BY CHUCK VANDENBERG
PCC EDITOR

WEST POINT - It took an extra hour to get started, but the Holy Trinity Catholic boys' soccer team was raring to go in a 2-0 shut out of Columbus Tuesday night at South Park.

In a physical game from the outset, the Crusaders took advantage of some serious midfield ball skills from freshman Mitchell Pothitakis and senior Audrae Vincent, to offset play from the bigger Wildcats.

Vincent would get the scoring started at the 21-minute mark of the first half when he booted a grounder off a penalty kick after he was tripped up charging the net. Vincent slid the ball left and low past a diving Columbus' Bryan Miranda to put HTC up 1-0.

Vincent was in one-vehicle rollover on Chalk Ridge Road just hours before the start of the game and it was uncertain if he would play. He sustained minor cuts, but no serious injuries in the incident.

Senior Blake Crabtree was busy all night preserving the shutout. Columbus had three shots on goal in first 10 minutes of the game, but deflected them all.

Senior Adam Rauenbuehler kept pressure on the offense end. Rauenbuehler, who took nine shots on the night, had a free kick just two minutes into the match, that sailed easily to the goalkeeper.

With 4:21 left in the first half, Pothitakis would score what would be the final goal of the night.

Miranda hit a wobbly clearing kick out of the box that landed short in front Pothitakis, the freshman pivoted to the right about 30 feet from the goal and launched a high shot at the goal.

The Wildcats' goalie was out of position and had to back pedal, but Pothitakis shot went over his head and found the middle of the back of the net.

Pothitakis said he just took a shot off the bad clear, but didn't think it would go in.

"Not really, I just saw the goalie made a bad kick and I just shot it and I guess it went in," he said.

He said he hopes the winning continues.

"We're doing pretty good, We have a really good coach and our defense is what really helps us. We have really good forwards too, so hopefully we can keep winning," he said.

Head Coach Ryan Culbertson said it was a physical game.

"It got worse as it went along. But my kids handled it pretty well for the most part. They started pushing back a bit and I had to pull them back before we got some cards," he said.

"I knew it would be a physical, hard game to win, but I'm proud of my boys. They came out and worked hard and got the win."

He said the Crusaders defense worked the game plan well.

"The defense played phenomenal tonight. Real solid, they definitely frustrated their forwards," Culbertson said. "We knew #10 could only go right so we pushed to keep him off his right and make them shoot outside shots. Blake scooped up a lot, too."

Sophomore Chandler Rung had three shots on the night, Senior Ryder Brune had two shots, junior Jason Rees, Pothitakis and Vincent all had one shot each.

The Crusaders take their 6-4 mark on the road Thursday to Highland.