Well, the prep camp win over Phillips in Maine is now a distant memory. And soon enough today's 0-1 loss to Phillips will be as well. For now, we just look at the game today and think about it in terms of the season. If the team was ever going to come out flat, unemotional or just plain not themselves today would have been the best day to do it. So they did. Hopefully; hopefully, it's out of their systems. Last year's impressive win streak is long gone. It's a new year. A new team.
The game started normally enough. Pressure going both ways. A little over 5 minutes in Zach and his new striker partner Alex had a nice combination which ended up springing Zach behind the defender. The keeper came out fast to challenge and Zach pulled the ball just wide of the goal. Opportunity lost! That would have been a great way to start the game and would have possibly set the tone for the remainder. It would have broken the mold on the 4 year series between these two teams. Remember, Zach has scored in both wins and didn't in the loss. So the pattern continues.
I need to do a little research to find out the overall status of the series between these two schools. I'm sure it's a long, colorful history! One of the Brooks parents relayed a message from a friend who is a professor at Phillips. To Phillips, this rivalry with Brooks is greater and more important than the rivalry with Phillips Exeter. Interesting to learn for sure.
As for the rest of the game; after that miss by Zach, Brooks lost a bit of steam. Phillips took control of the half and pressed for most of it. Brooks looked sloppy, not playing their normal ball possession game. Instead they played the give the ball to Phillips game. Not fun to watch. One turnover almost resulted in a break in by 3 Phillips players. Zach made a hard saving tackle that caused the referee to scold him for almost a full minute, then turn and tell coach Dusty that he would be watching Zach. Not a good thing. No less than 5 minutes later, Zach earned his yellow card and was sent off the field to cool down. The card was given for yelling for a hand ball by Phillips in their own box. Should have been a PK for Brooks but it wasn't called. On it's own, not really a deserved yellow, but combined with the warning.... Well the ref was watching him! The play continued in Phillips favor. New Brooks keeper Mattie was pretty busy and made a couple of nice saves to keep the score at 0-0. Just before half, Phillips hit the crossbar and the ball bounced out. Halftime 0-0.
In the second half, the first 5-7 minutes was more of the same. Phillips applying pressure and Brooks surviving. Then the tide turned and Brooks started to take control back. Unfortunately, they would possess the ball and end up turning it over without anything to show. Zach tried multiple times to take things into his own hands, but the Phillips defense clamped down on him. Greg took his turns but again swarming defense stopped anything Brooks tried to develop. Brooks did get an occasional shot, but they were wide or high. Alex had a rocket of a shot scream by the crossbar about a foot high. Two minutes later, Zach took an identical shot from the 18 that the keeper JUST got a hand on and deflected up and over. Everyone thought that was in.
On the next throw in for Phillips the guy throwing it in did something very unique. He took a running start to the line, did a flip with the ball held over his head and sprung off the ball throwing it about 50 yards out to the field. COOL!! Play continued after that with Brooks building good pressure. Each Phillips throw in would be done by the same player now. Getting all kinds of noise from the stands when he did it. With a little over 2 minutes to go he did one more flip throw in. This one again traveled from almost the center line to just about the 6 yard box. It bounced off Sam's head and found it's way past Mattie into the net. Talk about deflating.
Brooks pressed for the final 2 minutes plus stoppage, but time ran out. Phillips had evened the 4 year series and were rightfully celebrating together. Brooks on the other hand, knew they let this one get away and all sat or stood and stared off wondering.
Hopefully this non league game will serve as a wake up call. Roxbury Latin is right around the corner on Saturday. If they don't want to go 0-3-1 against RL, the Brooksians need to get things together pretty quickly.
My evening didn't end with that game. From there it was over to Kat's Field Hockey game where her very strong Andover High JV team killed the Haverhill High team 6-0. Kat had 2 great assists in that one. Nice to have a win in the family today!!
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