The game that would be king, Part III

Lyman’s head coach is a man named Steve Lyons. Steve is an engineer, reserved and quiet for the most part. He’s well spoken, articulate, and doesn’t say very much during games. This particular night, Steve was very quiet. Dressed in jeans, a shirt, and a short leather jacket, Steve leaned up against the inner wall of the shelter that covers each bench, his arms folded in front of him. I understood exactly where he was coming from. Although his assistants occasionally shouted instructions or adjustments, there was not much coaching to do at this point. The groundwork had been laid since October in the daily practices and earlier games. All coach Steve could do now was watch the kids play, and hope the hours of training and effort paid off.

Winter Park came out like the fierce competitors they are right from the start of the second half. Although Lyman nearly connected twice on scoring opportunities that no doubt would have put the game to bed, the score stayed 2-0. More than half way through the final period, a defensive mistake on Lyman’s part led to an easy break-away goal by Winter Park striker Nickolas Scures, bringing them within a goal at 2-1. The applause from the Winter Park side made everyone realize how many more Lyman faithful were in that stadium than the so-called home team. In comparison to the bursts of noise from Lyman, the other fans barely registered from 50 feet away.

The minutes continued to tick away with Lyman precariously holding onto its slim lead. The mistake that led to the goal seemed to be wearing on Lyman, while providing inspiration to Winter Park. Lyman’s passing wasn’t as crisp as it had been, and the scoring chances had dried up. Conversely, the Winter Park boys were furiously attacking the Lyman end of the field, and the only thing keeping the tying goal out of the net was the sheer determination of Lyman’s defense, along with some brilliant goal keeping by Lado. Finally, with less than ten minutes to go, Winter Park’s continued pressure and Lyman’s inability to change the momentum swing resulted in Nickolas Scures again breaking free down the left side. Lyman’s keeper – in a moment of indecision – came halfway off of his line, stopped, then went further out and stopped again. This left him in no-man’s land, and Scures easily lifted a soft floater over Lado’s head to notch the game at 2 apiece.

With momentum firmly on their side now, Winter Park nearly won the game on 3 separate occasions in the final seven minutes or so. Senior Lyman defender Nick Basquill-White brilliantly shut down two breakaway scoring chances, and with less than a minute to play, Junior striker Ezra Rickard sprinted from the middle of the field all the way back into his own goal mouth and threw his body in front of a would-be winning goal. The screaming, pleading, and frenetic energy from both sides in the stands was deafening at times, as the people in those stands were up and down every 30 seconds, watching potentially game ending play after game ending play be thwarted by each team’s defense. As time ran down, Lyman’s Orlin Palma took a punted ball from his own keeper and sent a scorching shot about an inch and a half above the crossbar as the numbers on the clock went to 00.00. The place simultaneously gasped and screeched at the thrilling end to regulation time. It was almost unbearable to think they had to play overtime to decide this game.