Rams hold off Leps for key 1-0 boys soccer win
ROSTRAVER TWP — Usually when Ringgold and Belle Vernon Area get together, regardless of the sport, the contest is highly contested between the Mon Valley rivals.
Tuesday night was no different in their Section 3-AAA boys soccer match as the visiting Rams took over first place with their 1-0 win despite BVA having more chances.
“What can I say, they can have those chances all day,” Ringgold coach Steve Persaud said of the Leopards having nine official shot attempts although most were from the outside. “Our defense back there, we work on it and long shots.”
BVA coach John Kerekes shared his thoughts on the contest.
“It was a tough game and Ringgold played really well,” he said. “Any time two rivals play, you know it will be hard fought.
“We had more shots, but they made the one that counted.”
Belle Vernon controlled play for most of the contest, and especially early on.
But Ringgold sophomore Eli Schoedel changed the tempo and scored the only goal of the match with 26:31 to go in the first half off of a pass from junior Christian Egan on one of only two Ringgold shots.
Schoedel is battling a hamstring injury, but he made the play when needed and he gave credit to his teammates for his goal.
“My teammates were battling hard back there to win the ball and although I get all of the glory, I owe it all to them to find me up there,” he said. “I get to finish all of their hard work.”
At the half, both coaches made formation adjustments with Ringgold packing more players deep in front of goalkeeper Travis Yahnite to limit Belle Vernon’s chances in the final 40 minutes.
“We were getting kind of tired out there and we went from a 4-3-3 formation to a 4-4-2,” Persaud said. “We tried to even out our numbers back there.”
Kerekes talked about BVA’s adjustment.
“We switched our formation because you have to,” he said. “We kept three defenders, four in the middle and three more up top just to try and find some space.
“Those are the types of things you have to do when teams pack it in.”
Ringgold (4-2, 3-0) returns to section play tonight as it is at Trinity while the Leopards (5-2, 3-1) are at Albert Gallatin Thursday night in a section match.