Published: November 05, 2009 11:16 pm      

District 5 Soccer: Township boys book Fannett

BEDFORD — On the first day of practice, the Conemaugh Township boys soccer team set a goal to become District 5 Class AA champions.

Steeled by a solid defensive effort, the Indians saw that goal come to fruition on Thursday evening in Bedford, edging the Fannett-Metal Tigers 2-1 to earn the title.

“It is amazing,” Indians coach Chris Miller said. “Fannett-Metal was excellent; they were very well coached and played an aggressive game, but my guys kept pushing through.”

Conemaugh Township (15-5) relied on solid goalkeeping by Jusdan Griffith and the impenetrable backline of Andrew Shaulis, Jake Meyers, Cody Kerr, and Luke Spengler to slow the Tigers’ onslaught throughout the game.

“They have been solid all year long,” Miller said. “Without those four guys, we wouldn’t be where we are at today.”

Buoyed by Griffith’s sliding saves through the middle of the period, the Indians struck first in the 26th minute.

On an indirect kick from just inside midfield, Shaulis sent the ball into the box as senior striker Kyle Benson crashed the net.

In the flurry between Benson and Fannett-Metal keeper Brandon Adams, a rebound squirted loose that senior Ryan Brown buried it in the back of the net to give Conemaugh Township a 1-0 lead.

The Indians had a near-miss in the closing seconds of the period, as Benson and Brown completed multiple give-and-go passes down the left wing, which gave Benson an open shot that rolled across the front of the goal before being cleared away by a Fannett-Metal defender.

Fannett-Metal (16-3-2) opened the second half with more aggressive play, pinning the ball deep in the Indians’ zone, which resulted in Kerr being whistled for an infraction inside the 18-yard box, giving the Tigers a penalty kick in the 45th minute.

Fannett-Metals Ryan Dovey sent the ensuing kick past a diving Griffith to tie the game 1-1.

What eventually became the game winner came in the 61st minute, as Brown picked up a clearing pass at the top of the arc and sent a through ball to Benson, who slid the ball behind a sliding Adams.

Fannett-Metal threatened repeatedly in the closing minutes, but Conemaugh Township’s defense was again up to the task.

With five minutes remaining, the Tigers sent an indirect deep into the box that Meyers was able to steer over the crossbar.

Following a flurry in front of his goal, Griffith turned aside a point-blank blast with forty seconds remaining to seal the victory and the title.