Vikings capture anchor game with goal in OT
The Cape Henlopen boys’ soccer team knew the Indian River game would be meaningful even before the season began.
“Every year, we pick an anchor game,” said junior captain Jerzy Haines. “And since in the previous year, we lost twice to them, we decided that this was the team we needed to beat and celebrate.”
The Vikings accomplished the mission, topping Indian River 2-1 in overtime.
Kickoff showed just how aggressive Cape was going to be, as speedsters Cardin Benjamin and Collin Sivels lined up like wide receivers in a football game. While the first attempt landed in the keeper's hands, it set the stage for the type of wing play that would keep the tempo upbeat from whistle to whistle.
“In prep for the game, we worked on transition from the middle third to the attacking third and trying to create chances with three to four passes,” Cape coach Patrick Kilby said.
Battles were waged on the flanks and in the corner. Cape dominated possession for much of the first half, using speed and soccer IQ to win corner after corner. A stout IR defense – characteristic of a Brandt Mais-coached team – paid close attention to detail and kept the Vikings off the scoreboard in the first half. IR generated chances too, but couldn’t convert.
IR finally broke through in the second half, when junior Leo Chester found junior Dominic Delaney to give the Indians a 1-0 lead.
“Our guys are pretty seasoned, so they don’t get rattled by much,” Kilby said. “And as the season goes on, we’re passing test after test and learning from our mistakes.”
Kilby thought the team framed the goal well, but a change was needed halfway through the second half. They moved from a 4-3-3 formation to a 3-5-2.
In the 74th minute, a corner from junior Brady Spiegel led to a goal. Sporting a mask, senior Donovan Sandoval fearlessly rose up to get a header on Spiegel’s corner. The ball evaded the crowd of players in front of the goal and found twine. With six minutes left, the game was tied 1-1.
The two teams entered into a golden goal overtime. While the first half of OT failed to produce a winner, the second half was where the drama resided.
On Cape’s 15th and final corner, Spiegel drilled another ball into the box, and as it landed, chaos broke out. Players from both teams tried to control the bouncing ball, but Sivels got a foot on it and scored the game winner.
By a matter of inches, Sivels beat senior Luke Veirs to the ball. Cape’s sideline and the crowd erupted in cheers. The anchor was secured.
