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BY VAL TSOUTSOURIS
Sports Editor, RTC
Peru 2, Rochester 1 (PKs, Monday)
Junior Criollo scored off a Wyatt Davis assist in the first half, but the Rochester boys soccer team lost their third straight game to visiting Peru in penalty kicks at the Brent Blacketor Memorial Sports Complex Monday.
The game was tied 1-1 after 80 minutes of regulation and two seven-minute overtime periods. Peru then outscored Rochester 4-2 on penalty kicks to secure the win.
Peru improved to 3-2 overall and 1-1 in the Three Rivers Conference. Rochester fell to 5-4-1, 1-3.
Peru made all four of its penalty kicks while Rochester went two for four.
Rochester had a chance to force a fifth round of kicks, but Isaac Braley’s shot deflected off Rochester goalkeeper Aiden Harrington’s hands as Harrington dove to his left. The ball trickled past the goal line and just inside the right upright to set off a Peru celebration at midfield.
Jayden Sichone, Benjamin Hochstedler and Andrew Dawalt also converted penalty kicks.
Davis started the penalty kicks by making his in the upper right corner of the net as the Peru keeper guessed wrong and dove in the opposite direction to where Davis kicked.
But Carlos Plascencia hit the crossbar in Round 2, and Peru keeper Williams Rodriguez stopped Grant Bailey’s shot in Round 3.
Andrew Rabe scored off a Landon Crowe assist for Peru.
Rochester was coming off shutout losses against Manchester and Northwestern last week. Peru had allowed nine goals in its previous four games this season.
“We get a one-track mind, and it’s pretty easy to defend,” Rochester coach Eric Backus said. “The first half, we were trying to only play a through ball, and we told them at halftime to make the adjustment and strikers, actually be a target before you just take off and run with the ball. When we actually played to our striker as a target, it didn’t look bad. We had decent attacks, and we had decent opportunities to get shots off. They were quick back there, but I don’t think it was anything we’ve not seen before.”
Backus said he noticed that Peru was sending five players up to the midfield, a large number. So he put Spencer Backus back to the midfield to help Plascencia and Tindi on defense.
“We had opportunities, but we just couldn’t capitalize on them,” coach Backus said. “That’s what happens when you’re in games like this. Peru fought hard. They’s not a bad team. … We’ve just got to do better.”
Backus said he will continue to emphasize not making silly mistakes.
“We’ve just got to clean up the little things that are costing us big time,” coach Backus said. “If you lose track of a striker, they’re going to put it in the goal. Just one little mental breakdown, and they scored.
“I don’t know how many times we had opportunities if we would have taken just one good touch, we would have got a good shot off. So those are just little things you’ve got to clean up, and if you get them cleaned up, you’re beating teams like this. … That’s the difference right now between winning and losing.”
Northwestern 5, Rochester 0 (Thursday)
Cam Markley, Peyton Tarrh, Ty Kidwell, Renato Vieira and Jax Hanson all scored for the host Tigers in a win over conference and sectional rival Rochester Thursday.
Rochester had two shots on goal – one each by Davis and Tindi.
Harrington stopped 15 of the 20 shots he faced.
“Northwestern put up five on us, and two of them because we didn’t clear the ball out of the 18(-yard box),” coach Backus said. “We stood there and watched it as they came and shot.”
Coach Backus had high praise for the TRC newcomers. They were coming off a 3-0 loss to Faith Christian on Sept. 9 in their previous game, but the Tigers also own a win over defending TRC champion Maconaquah.
“Northwestern’s probably the best team we’ve played all year,” coach Backus said. “They’re going to be tough. They’re going to be real tough. I’d be surprised if Manchester or Maconaquah has anything for them. They’re legit. They have 11 solid that they put on the field. We’ve got a ton of kids we throw at teams, but we’re just trying to find that right combination of where to put kids and where we can play well and do the right thing.”
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