Local Sports
Cowboys outlast Green Dragons
Allen Moody | Highlands Today
Published: January 10, 2013
LAKE PLACID The Lake Placid boys soccer team may not be having one of their best seasons record-wise, but that doesn't necessarily mean they're not playing good soccer in stretches. The team followed that pattern in Tuesday's 4-1 loss to LaBelle at Roger Scarbrough Memorial Stadium.Published: January 10, 2013
"We looked good at times," said Lake Placid coach James Ashley. "When we play a full game we will be a very good soccer team."
After keeping a talented Cowboys' squad off the scoreboard for the first 15 minutes, several mental lapses by the Green Dragons helped LaBelle grab a 3-0 lead in a span of 14 minutes.
"You can't win games like that," Ashley said. "The goals we gave up—balls through the keeper's legs and coming out of the water break they just played a through ball and we weren't ready for it. We can't do that."
Lake Placid had several scoring chances in the first half, a shot by Osvaldo Orduna that just went over the crossbar and another good chance in front of the net after an Orduna crossing pass went to Miguel Resendiz, whose shot hit LaBelle's goalkeeper.
At halftime, Ashley told his players not to worry about the scoreboard, but to come out and play hard. The team responded.
Yoyi Gomez scored a Lake Placid goal with 10 minutes remaining to trim the lead to 3-1, only to see the Cowboys tack on another goal in the final two minutes to account for the final score.
The Green Dragons came into the game with only 12 players dressed, which is tough against a LaBelle team that makes frequent substitutions.
"They're a good team and they're deep," Ashley said. "They're not just the 11 players you see. They rotate players in and out."
Compounding the problem, several of the Green Dragons were suffering from cramps and Resendiz was unable to play for much of the second half.
"Our guys were dropping like flies," Ashley said. "It seems like each game there's something beyond just being able to play soccer that's kind of in the way. Tonight, we were limited in players. I had to bring up two kids from the JV team just to have one sub."
Still, Ashley said his team did a solid job in the final 40 minutes.
"It was a much better second half," he said.
Ashley said the team's main goal for the rest of the season is to get ready for the district tournament and he would like the team to have some confidence and momentum heading into it.
"We have a low seed meaning we're going to play a team that has a lot of confidence against us,," he said. "Our whole goal is to come out and surprise. The goal is to play hard and play with pride. Soccer is about playing as hard as you can every play regardless of what the score is."
The Green Dragons travel to Clewiston on Friday.
amoody@highlandstoday.com (863) 386-5841