Squandering quality scoring chances has been an area of concern all season long for Lafayette’s boys soccer team.
The first half of the Rams’ 3A Colonial Rivers Conference 25 championship against York was a prime example, which is why Coach Brian Sorrell’s halftime message to his team — “Guys, we can’t waste opportunities against this team” — was something Reeves Trott has heard more times than he likes to admit this season.
So Trott and his team wasted little time to turn things around out of the break.
Roughly 12 minutes into the second half, Lafayette was awarded its fifth corner attempt of the game. The ball was played nicely in front of goal, but no Lafayette player was able to get a head on it. Trott, though, hunted down the ball among several defenders and punched it into the back of the net.
The momentum translated into another goal moments later after Trott sent a free kick from 30 yards out to the far post where senior captain Jordan Barton, the tallest player on the field, timed his jump perfectly to head the ball into the back of the net to give Lafayette a 2-0 lead for good.
“We knew we couldn’t let too many more[chances] go to waste,” Trott said. “Last time we played them it was also zero-zero at the half, so I guess we’re just a second-half team.”
Sorrell said capitalizing on promising scoring chances is even more important against a team like York, adding he thought his team was “fortunate not to get burned” during the first half.
“With York’s breakaway speed, you always have to watch their counterattack,” Sorrell said. “So when you get a chance have to make the most of it.”
The first half was an entertaining 40 minutes of competitive soccer. While Lafayette held a clear advantage, both teams had their chances.
The Rams appeared to score in the opening minutes after Trott sent a through ball to a streaking Doron Davis, who drilled a shot past York keeper Jacob Reimers but was flagged for offsides.
York had one of its better chances of the half moments later after Bailey McClure sent a shot over top of Lafayette’s retreating keeper Volodymyr Humenyuk that sailed over the net.
Jason Eckenrode followed with a series of promising runs, but Reimers made several nice plays in goal to keep the game scoreless.
The most opportune chance of the half came off the head of Trott, who volleyed Denzel Speed’s well-placed free kick toward goal, but the shot skimmed off the cross bar.
While Sorrell would have liked to see his team capitalize on more of their chances, especially in the first half, he was pleased with the outcome.
“We had our opportunities, and I really thought we should have had some in the first half,” Sorrell said. “But we did create the opportunities, which is something to build off of.”
Both York and Lafayette will advance to compete in next week’s 3A East Region tournament. Because of their conference championship win, the Rams will play at home Monday.
Lafayette 2 York 0
Goals: Lafayette- Trott, Barton
Assists: Lafayette- Trott, Speed
