Staying alive
Mustangs blank Red Raiders to remain in playoff hunt
Laurel Highlands would have been eliminated from playoff contention if it lost Tuesday night’s match against cross-town rival Uniontown in Section 2-3A boys soccer play, but the Mustangs rose to the occasion in earning a 2-0 triumph at Mustang Field on the campus of Laurel Highlands High School.
Mike Aubele scored less than four minutes into the match and Roman George added an insurance goal with 10 minutes left, which was more than enough offense for Laurel Highlands keeper Dan O’Neal.
The Mustangs’ midfielders and backline also helped in preventing the Red Raiders’ Braylon Woods from getting on the scoresheet. Woods scored four goals in Uniontown’s 5-2 victory over Laurel Highlands on Sept. 15 at Bill Power Stadium.
“We definitely wanted to improve on defending Woods in this game,” Laurel Highlands coach Alexander Guie said. “We didn’t come out and work as a unit in that last game against Uniontown. We needed to play physical, get to the balls first, win the 50/50s and put in the effort. Once we do that, we have the skill to take it forward.
“We needed that effort from our defense and midfield to get back in and shut down their key men, and when we do that, good things come offensively for us. They (Uniontown) are a quality team. They took it to us in the first game. We had many chances, but we finished the two we needed to.”
The Mustangs improved to 2-5-1 in the section and 4-7-1 overall, while the Red Raiders dropped to 3-4-0 and 6-5-0.
Uniontown still holds onto the fourth and final WPIAL Class 3A playoff spot out of Section 2 with nine points, but the Red Raiders have section matches remaining with the top three teams in Ringgold (5-0-4, 19 points), Thomas Jefferson (4-2-1, 13 points) and Trinity (5-0-2, 17 points).
Laurel Highlands has two section matches remaining with the Jaguars and Albert Gallatin (0-8-0, 2-11-0). The Mustangs have seven points in section play, as a team earns three for a win and one for a draw. LH earned a 2-2 draw against Ringgold on Sept. 24, which could prove the difference in reaching the district playoffs if the results carry over from the first to the second matches in the remainder of the regular season for the Mustangs and Red Raiders.
Laurel Highlands tested Uniontown keeper Noah Holland early, as Jackson Baker forced the senior to stop the first of eight shots on target 35 seconds into the match, which also earned the Mustangs’ first of two corner kicks.
Elliot Boor set up the home team’s first goal when he stole the ball 65 yards from the net and sent a pass to Aubele 32 yards from target. Holland came out to challenge the attempt, but the ball went past him and Aubele fired a low shot into the right-hand corner of the net from 22 yards away for a 1-0 lead at 36:34 of the first half.
“I think with our possession early on, they were kind of pulled forward a bit and anticipating that kind of long through ball, but they sort of jumped it a little late and Mike took advantage of it,” Guie said. “Mike is a good finisher, and when we get all our guys in sync, it is really fun to watch. I think we are getting there.”
George was able to free himself on a run at 25:15 of the opening 40 minutes, but Holland kicked the ball away from 25 yards.
Holland denied Aublele a brace with two stops before Boor had a header hit off the post with 12:55 left in the opening half, but there was a foul on Laurel Highlands that would have negated the goal.
George had a shot travel wide of the cage 30 seconds later before Baker earned the Mustangs’ second corner kick at 10:15 of the first half.
George had two runs one minute apart that begin with 7:45 left in the opening half when he couldn’t keep control of the ball as he sprinted down the right side of the field, as his own speed hindered a clear-cut opportunity. Holland challenged George’s second run by clearing the ball from 35 yards away before he stopped George on a shot on target.
Holland stopped George and Matt Kolencik in the final minute of the first half to keep the match at 1-0. Jackson Nairn sent in a cross that set up Kolencik’s chance.
The Red Raiders had several opportunities in the first seven minutes of the second half before O’Neal dove to his right to parry away a free kick from Woods that was sent to the upper left-hand corner of the net with 32:21 remaining in the match.
Uniontown took the second of its five corner kicks following O’Neal’s save, but the senior keeper tipped a ball away before the Red Raiders earned another corner kick. The visitors were offside after the corner was sent in, as Laurel Highlands dodged a bullet.
“It was a solid game for Dan, too,” Guie said. “All of our guys stepped up their game tonight.”
George had an opportunity travel to the right of the net as Holland forced him to the outside on his run with 27 minutes left in the match.
Woods sent a pass 35 yards to Jacob Farrell, who corralled the ball from 20 yards out and attempted a shot on target, but O’Neal came out to challenge and stopped the freshman’s attempt to keep his team in the lead by one with 24:20 left in the second half.
George provided his team’s two-goal cushion at 9:22 of the second half, as he scored on a counter attack after Woods took a free kick from 34 yards out. George’s shot trickled just inside the left post.
Guie understands that his team has to take care of business and hope for some help to just get into the playoffs, but if the Mustangs are able to qualify, he believes they can play with the top teams in the WPIAL.
“We hope to be peaking at the right time,” Guie said. “I like our chances to be competitive in any game. We will have a very tough team in the first round of the playoffs if we qualify.”