NTL BOYS SOCCER: ATHENS 'EXECUTES' IN SEASON-OPENING, 3-1, WIN OVER NORTHEAST BRADFORD (24 PHOTOS) (2024-08-28)
Valley Sports ReportATHENS — Junior Chase Ingram scored a pair of goals to lead Athens to a season-opening, 3-1, win over Northeast Bradford here Wednesday night in NTL boys soccer action.
“I’m proud of the guys because they executed the game plan,” said longtime Athens coach Jake Lezak.
“It’s the bright light they needed to start the season, to give them a lot confidence to know they can play, and they can play against tough opponents — and Northeast is tough, they gave us fits, and played 80 minutes right at us,” noted Lezak
“And, Chase (Ingram) came in for us off the bench, and scored two goals. He made a big difference in the game,” added Lezak.
Ingram scored an unassisted goal five minutes into the game to give the Wildcats a quick 1-0 lead.
Athens maintained control of the play, but couldn’t add to its lead for the remainder of the half.
“Technically and tactically, we were playing just the way we wanted to, the guys were just trying too hard to put the ball in the net,” said Lezak.
“They just have to continue to keep the same mindset, focus on the technical, focus on the tactical, instead of trying to force things … you can’t focus on the end result, you have to focus on the task at hand,” he noted.
“We were knocking on the door, we were getting shots, we had a breakaway, we had a crossing opportunity — we were doing everything we wanted to, we just weren’t finishing it,” added Lezak.
Senior Troy Rosenbloom made it 2-0 with an unassisted goal about three minutes after the intermission.
Ingram, off an assist from junior Alex Thompson, added his second goal with 26 minutes remaining in the contest to extend the lead to 3-0.
“Because of the heat, we had to talk instead of train for part of our sessions the last two days,” said Lezak.
“It was a chalk talk, ‘this is how to play against what we anticipated to be (NEB’s) system of play. Here’s the weaknesses, here’s the strengths, and this is how you play around it,’” he noted.
“I thought the guys did a nice job of executing what we talked about,” Lezak added.
The Panthers avoided the shutout with a goal with 16 minutes remaining in the match.
Lezak was pleased with his defensive unit.
“I ride the defense hard, and I’m really proud of the effort they put in, and the way they played tonight.
“(Zach) Fisher came up big a couple times in the first half,” said Lezak. “(NEB) put the ball on the net a couple times in the first half, and he jumped on a couple of his own rebounds, and made some really nice saves.
“He did what we wanted him to do. He knew he had to communicate the entire game, and he did.
“Our shape looked better,” added Lezak. “Defensively, we gave some specific roles to different players, and for long stretches of the game, they did exactly what they were suppose to do.”
Athens had a 12-4 advantage in shots-on-goal, and a 4-1 edge in corner kicks.
Fisher registered three saves in net for the Wildcats.
Athens returns to action Saturday at Montoursville.
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IN PHOTO 1: Athens senior Troy Rosenbloom. IN TOP PHOTO: Rosenbloom (center) celebrates his goal with teammates. … PHOTOS BY MATT PATTON.
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