Cardinal Newman’s Grayson White charges toward the goal as Hammond’s Noah Goddard gives chase. Photos by Mike Maddock
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The visiting Cardinal Newman Cardinals scored one goal in the first half and three in the second to defeat the Hammond Skyhawks 4-nil on Tuesday, April 30 in SCISA 4A boys soccer action.
Cardinal Newman controlled the action throughout and had chances early in the first half. The Cardinals’ flurry of shots began in the 12th minute when Grayson White sent a shot toward the goal, only to have it stopped by Hammond keeper Cal McQueen. McQueen also made a save on a blast from Owen Thompson a minute later. Topher Johnson got in on the party with a trio of shots between the 16th and 20th minutes, but none made it to the back of the net.
Finally in the 38th minute, Cardinal Newman broke through when White sent a free kick into the box. Dakota Venugopal was on the receiving end to head it in and give the Cardinals a 1-nil lead they took into halftime.
“We had been playing really well,” Cardinal Newman head coach Will Eudy said. “We had a couple of different chances we probably should have taken and finished. We knew they were going to sit in and give us some spaces and try to keep it close. They did a great job doing that.
Cardinal Newman’s Quade Wilson and Hammond’s Matthew Pinasco battle in the midfield.
“Matthew Pinasco played well tonight. He makes them a totally different team. He’s able to hold the ball and play out of it. We had to adjust to that.
“Massive goal right before the half off a set piece we’ve been working really hard on. It was really good execution by our guys and it really set the tone for the next 20 minutes of the match.”
Cardinal Newman carried the momentum into the second half. In the 47th minute, White lofted a ball into the box that took a fortuitous hop just under the crossbar and into the net for a 2-nil lead.
Two minutes later, Owen Thompson blasted a left-footer from outside the box for a 3-nil lead.
In the 56th minute, Alvaro Carrasco sent a cross into the Hammond box that Brady Cote tucked away for a 4-nil lead.
“We left some goals out there,” Eudy said. “We came out and did what we do. We wanted to get our guys in some higher spaces so we could play into them. We thought we could take the width of the field and get one-v-one. That last goal Brady got, that’s how you draw it up. Quick, quick, in and out. Down the line and into Owen. Alvaro Carrasco gets around him, slides him in. Crosses the six, and Brady bangs it home. That’s what we were talking about doing. It was a really good team goal. I’m really happy with the performance.”
CN’s Dakota Venugopal heads the ball upfield.
The goals were more than enough for the Cardinal Newman defense and keepers Ben Pickren and Matthew Herrmann. The Cardinals only allowed three shots on goal—all late in the second half. Pinasco had one in the 63rd minute that sailed high. Ford Nunn got a shot in the 76th minute to go with one more from the Skyhawks, but Herrmann, who relieved Pickren in the second half, turned them both away.
“We have five games left, hopefully,” Eudy said. “We want to go 5-0. If we don’t give up any goals, it’s hard to lose. We’re really good in the back end led by Tristan Berzins and Ben Pickren. Dakota Venugopal has been outstanding this year. Al(varo Carrasco) coming from Spain has really fit in brilliantly. Luke Stanek has been a solid left back, keeping the ball and passing. Jacob Stanek being the sixth, just sitting in front of those guys. They are a solid core.
“If there is a better keeper out there than Ben Pickren, I don’t know where they are at. He gets overlooked because he’s a little shorter than the rest of them, but he’s a dude. Hopefully, we can ride this momentum and keep this performance up and do well going into the playoffs.”
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