TIMBERWOLVES FALL TO LIONS IN SEMI-FINAL

January 28, 2009. Chiles High School.

Coming off an impressive season the first place Timberwolves (6-1-1) faced the last place Leon Lions in the District Semi finals.  But the previous games did not matter a bit, it was  what happed this night that would count.  The Lions got off to a quick start scoring in the first two minutes of the game when a Chiles defender lost footing and Leon was able to get in the box for the early score.  The Timberwolves battled back when Stephen Eppinger crossed the ball from the left side, finding Eric Frohlich who calmly smashed the ball into the open net for the equalizer.  Later in the first half the lion would get a corn kick from the right, the ball crossed completely over the box to the head of Nathan Granger, who headed the ball toward the goal, but a Chiles player got his foot on the ball, but instead of a save it deflect for an own goal.  Chiles had several chances in the fist half to tie it, two on Frohlich corner kicks; the first Zac Gregg soared high above the defense and hit a powerful shot that just just sailed high by inches and another great chance when Eric's corner found Eppinger who redirected it to what looked like a certain goal only to have a Lion defender clear it off the line.  Late in the half the Lions got a free kick out near the side line so that it was sort of like a corner kick. Somehow, a mix up on defense resulted in the low driven ball passing through the crowd, ricocheted off the knee of a Chiles defensive player and beat the keeper for a shocking  goal.  The half ended 3-1.  In the start of the second half, Chiles came out strong pushing forward. and picking up momentum. Then on a counter attack the Lions played the ball forward and yet once again a Chiles defender slipped on the wet grass allowing the Lions to have a 1-1 with keeper Evan Cameron.  With that goal all the wind and hope seemed to be let out of the Timberwolves and a series of yellow cards did nothing to help their chances. Josh Bearss scored a late unassisted goal for Chiles, but it was too little too late.  The T-wolves season came to a heartbreaking end, certainly prematurely for this very strong and talented team. 

Most of the teams in the District had at least one game where everything went wrong and gave up a loss to a team that on paper they should have beat. For example both Leon and Lincoln had surprising losses to Rutherford earlier in the season.  For Chiles, the team's worst night of the year,  a night when many players could legitimately say they played their worst game of the year, and a game when every bounce seemed to go the wrong way, happened in the District Semi-finals - where there is no do over, no second chance.  A tough way to end a season, indeed.