Manassas Journal Messenger | One for the team psyche
By LACY LUSK
For more than a decade, Gar-Field’s boys soccer team went head to head with Hylton and came up short – once in a Northwest Regional semifinal. The 2003 Indians have put an end to that streak.
The Indians (2-2 overall, 1-1 in the Cardinal District), who finally play their first home game of the season tonight against Woodbridge, won 3-1 at Hylton on April 15. Junior forward Jusufu Barclay scored two goals against the Bulldogs and senior forward Mehmet Coskun the other. Jon Hamilton and Danfi Parker each had an assist.
“That was a big psychological win for us,” Gar-Field coach Rudy Zimmerman said. “We had lost 2-1 to Forest Park and really needed a win like that.”
Then, this week Gar-Field lost in the closing seconds to Osbourn Park on a goal from freshman forward Daniel Phelps during the extra time for the second half.
Senior midfielder Nick Niederriter suffered a severely sprained ankle against Hylton and may miss the rest of the regular season. Even without him, Gar-Field has the talent to challenge anyone in the area.
Barclay leads Gar-Field with four goals. “What’s impressive about him is that he’s a little guy but he plays like he’s 6-4. He can’t be more than 5-3 but he has great speed and quickness and he really gets up.”
REPEAT PERFORMANCE
Normally, a regular-season sweep of a defending state champion would boost a team’s confidence. But Brentsville’s girls team wants to make sure they don’t get too excited until the job is finished.
Just like last year, the Tigers swept Bull Run District rival George Mason in the regular season. With Tuesday night’s 4-1 win and a 2-0 decision earlier this season, Brentsville (4-2 overall, 4-0 in the district) has command of the Bull Run race. A year ago, though, George Mason got its revenge by winning in the district, regional, and Group A state finals against Brentsville.
“It’s almost like we plan on seeing them at states, so it’s fun to play them in the beginning to see what they’re like,” said sophomore midfielder Ryan Ruhstorfer, who scored a goal Tuesday. “We beat them 3-1 and 6-1 last year in the regular season. When we played them after that, they saw that as a get-up-and-go kind of thing and we maybe eased up. We won’t do that this year.”
Freshman Stephanie Hair scored the first goal in the 4-1 win, with sophomore Erin Germain eventually coming off the bench to record a goal and two assists. Sophomore Hailey Peters also scored a goal. Brenda Cary, a freshman, was the winning goalkeeper.
When asked about George Mason, coach Christi Ruhstorfer laughed nervously and said, “No voodoo, please.” She added, “I’m not counting in chickens. It’s not that we went in cocky or overconfident last year, but they just really figured out our game plan.”
The Tigers’ only defeats this year are to Group AAA Potomac and Group AA Potomac Falls.
AROUND THE AREA
Hylton senior midfielder Lauren Pratt had knee surgery over spring break and is expected to miss the rest of the season. Bulldogs coach Steve Smith said she’ll need at least six weeks of recovery time. … Forest Park sophomore goalkeeper Marissa Paslick, filling in for injured starter Jess Rheinlander, earned her second shutout of the season in a 4-0 win over Hylton on Monday. She also blanked Stonewall Jackson earlier this spring, allowed just one goal in a win over Osbourn on Tuesday and was in net for the conclusion of a one-goal win over Gar-Field.
Lacy Lusk covers soccer for the Potomac News & Manassas Journal Messenger. You can reach him via e-mail or at (703) 878-8059.