It’s never productive to look past any opponent and worry about an upcoming match.  So it was that when we finished our hard-fought game in Norfolk last Thursday we finally earned the right to begin to think about a trip to Alexandria to play the High School.  Episcopal’s string of seasons of success on the soccer field has lasted a good five years now.  Three years in a row of being ranked number one or two in the Washington area is a significant accomplishment.  Even if this year’s team had dropped a few contests, these losses had come to top teams in the Washington area--Dematha, Gonzaga, and Georgetown Prep—they also owned quality wins over St. Alban’s, Paul VI, Benedictine and Collegiate along with several other opponents.  Without the large cast of characters they had had in the past, but still with three standouts—Tshuma from Zimbabwe, Kurt Anderson, and Ross Higgins—they are still a special team, and they were expecting to win.  
     Our preparation included no special plans or schemes.  What we needed to do was to try and recapture the rhythm of possession in midfield that had escaped us a bit down at Norfolk, and to be aware of our opponent’s skill and ability to attack.   We would also be working to learn how to carry good concentration through the whole of the match, knowing that one let down in focus could lead to the goal that would beat us.
     Both teams seemed nervous at the kickoff, but played with lots of energy.  The High School seemed determined to use their central players to set up their number 2, Higgins, on the left channel and allow him to take our defenders on and either create a chance for himself or get in a good cross that others could run on to.  We were going to have three keys on the day: Higgins’ runs, energy and skill, the playmaking ability and goal-scoring danger of their number 17, Tshumba, and finally, the deep organizational work of their number 7, Anderson.  
As the clock ticked into the first quarter hour, another story began to emerge.  Chris Broughton was having a superb game.  By the half hour, he had come off his line to save two strong shots from High School’s forwards, tipped a dangerous corner out, and handled several through balls without the slightest bobble.  At the end of the day, Chris’ solid play in the pressure of a big match would be a deciding factor.  
     As we turned away the opening salvos that the Maroon fired at us, we began to build our own attacks.  Jason was on top of his game, always finding a way to read the path of the ball and able to insert himself in the right passing lane, either to intercept or to help drive our possession and attack.  Within the first ten minutes, Jason dropped a great ball over the top to a just-onsides Jack, but Jack was quickly closed down and his shot from the top of the 18 had little sting.  
The 17th minute produced a play that I’m still scratching my head over.  It began when Coleman cut out a long ball and touched his interception perfectly back into midfield to Jason.  Jason turned, fed the ball forward to Jack, who in turn bumped the ball back.  Harris ran off this possession and sprinted right down the central channel where Jason spotted his run and sent him a perfectly weighted pass.  Reading danger, the Maroon keeper came all the way to the top of the box, but found himself at sea because he was now at the edge of the area where he could use his hands.  Still, he stretched to meet the ball, but Harris arrived at the same time and the whistle went.  What was this?  I thought it might be for a hand ball out of the area, but the ref gave the ball to the keeper for a free kick after pulling him aside for a quiet lecture about something.  I never knew what that decision was all about—and would have loved to have heard.  
     For the remainder of the half, we saw a good bit of the ball and we were able to build up our possession well.   For their part, the Maroon defended well inside their box and we got few good looks.  This is an area where we must grow.  We simply need to find a few more ideas and work on our timing and recognition.  Good opponents will improve in their ability to deny us the most obvious of situations, and close matches will be won and lost over half-chances.  Something to work on.  The first half ended with the score knotted at 0-0, and with the sense that this would be a duel til the end.  
The duel continued after halftime, with the first clear chance going to the home team.  In the eighth minute we got stripped at midfield and they countered right down the center.  Chris came off his line taking away any good shooting angle, and their striker tried to beat him with power—but saw the ball fly well over the goal.  A minute later they were back again, but misfiring from close range due to good pressure.  Shortly afterwards, Jason carried a ball through midfield and had a good shot from about 30 yards out which their keeper got down to smother.  
     We needed a spark and began to have some greater success in attack when Ian started to roam a bit from his center back spot, turning up in support of the attack and giving us one more attacking presence that was unmarked.  Fifteen minutes deep in the half, a nice combination on the right got the ball to Bear who beat his mark around the corner and was driving the bye line just at the edge of the box when he was taken down.  Ian’s free kick went over the keeper’s hand on the near post, but found no friendly head at the back, and the ball rolled out on the far touchline.  We then settled into some of our best soccer on the afternoon, full of good covering, good passing ideas, and great energy. High School were only able to break the pressure when we committed a needless foul about ten yards on top of our box and they had a good free kick.  
Of course, committing so much energy to the attack can leave you open at the back.  With only fifteen minutes to play, Higgins broke through on our right side and blazed into the penalty area in a one-on-one confrontation with Chris.  Chris was more than equal to the challenge, coming off his line quickly and then getting down to block the shot away.  A fabulous play, but characteristic of his afternoon.  He was simply not going to get beaten.
     Our best chance of the match came with twelve minutes to go in the half after a foul on Jason as he drove through their defense and threatened the top-right of their box.  Ian, Jason and Harris put together a great free-kick idea which saw Ian hit Jason to the left of the wall and lay a pass off behind the wall to an onrushing Harris.  Harris’ shot was smothered at his feet by the onrushing keeper.  So close.  
     When the second half came to a close, the match wasn’t over.  We had a agreed to follow their league’s rules and play two 40 minute halves followed by two 5-minute golden goal overtime periods.  This was nerve-wracking stuff.  Winning or losing in an overtime period after so much emotion and energy have been spent in the normal time of the match just seems cruel.  But we stood firm throughout the ten minutes, not getting much of a look ourselves, and denying the Maroon their chances through hard work and guts.  The whistle came at last, and we had a well-earned 0-0 result.