Warhawks ousted by Grady

After getting past the first-round state obstacle that’s plagued Veterans High boys soccer for the past two seasons, Grady High of Atlanta got in the Warhawks’ way of further playoff advancement Tuesday on the Kathleen campus. The 2016 season ended for Matt Roth’s club with a 3-1 second-round loss to the Knights on a night with dark clouds all throughout the sky but very little in the way of precipitation.

Grady charged out in front 2-0 before the first half of the first half expired. Carrying that lead into the full second half, the Knights added one more goal before the Warhawks could punch home their one and only point.

Veterans in fact scored on perhaps the cleanest look it had all match. Grady used two goalkeepers, one for each half. But it was the offense of the Knights that dictated play most of the evening.

Things began with Veterans back Kyle Spudic answering a challenge defensively, but within the same two minutes Grady crossed the ball twice only to miss the goal. Goalkeeper Robert Benge of the Warhawks grabbed the first shot he faced up close, and Michael Sordillo ran step-for-step with a charging Knight on the left side to force corner kicks.

Grady in fact had three corners in a row with nothing to show for them.

Logan Luque hustled all over the field looking to give Veterans a possession advantage. But when the Knights controlled the ball from 25 yards away, a great passing connection in the penalty box produced the first goal at 31:27.

With under 29 minutes to go, Veterans made its first significant push with Andrew Zubowicz’ onside pass to Max Wilkins. Grady regained the ball only to encouter the efforts of Tyler Porcher, who hit the ground to stop the Knights in the box. On the ensuing corner kick, Porcher twice played the ball forcing Grady to kick again.

Unfortunately for the Warhawks, the ball went into the next at the far post for 2-0 Grady at 26:24.

As the half moved on, Garrette Roff turned up his play and Veterans earned its first free kick in its offensive end. As the ball went back to Grady’s side, Sordillo came through with a clear to Wilkins. He passed out to Blevins, but the Knights got physical on the ball and prevented any shots on goal.

At the 13-minute mark Benge saved an 18-yarder off a throw-in. He made another good catch in the air six minutes later. The physical nature of the match took over with Kyle Jorgensen of the Warhawks in the mix. Frustrations, though, also mounted even with Wilkins and Tristain Gibbons getting the ball in the box. Grady broke things up and continued to threaten on the other end.

Benge, at 1:53, caught a 30-yard free kick and kept the score 2-0 saving the ball with 14 seconds on the clock.

The second half began with Roff on the sidelines nursing an injury, but it also had one more defensive stand off the bat from Spudic. Veterans’ Blevins and Sordillo tested Grady’s second goalkeeper immediately, and the result was a save amid a flurry of activity.

There were several more whistles in the second half than the first, especially offensive fouls against Grady. The new keeper, however, was on the ball two more times in the first 10 minutes.

With a free kick on its attacking end – 45 yards away – Sordillo hit a ball headed out but maintained by the Warhawks. Luque controlled it for pass to Max Franklin, but his shot was saved at the 28-minute mark.

Grady then, at 26:24, took the 3-0 advantage as the Warhawks let a ball get loose in the center of the field. Grady’s striker ran after it, and since it was not an offsides situation he scored one-on-one.

Jorgensen hit a 50-yard free kick on target but caught at 25:30. Blevins set the ball from 25 yards away and was over the goal by a foot. Veterans would be hit with two yellow card fouls, and Roff returned to the action.

Things looked good for the Warhawks, though, when Wilkins’ charge brought the keeper out of the box at 13:15. Blevins tried to strike with the keeper still out of position but met a wall of the Knights’ defense.

With under 10 minutes to play, it was Sordillo clearing the ball deep in the Grady end and Wilkins took it on the run to the left corner. It was a pass and chip shot to Blevins that connected for 3-1 at 9:19.

But Veterans couldn’t find anymore openings despite the defensive work from Aubrey Shaw and Zubowicz’ presence with the ball in the box that was broken up at 5:30.

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