Pair of overtime goals net prep tie

BY HUGH RIST For the News & Messenger
Published: March 28, 2008

When the two teams last met, one had an offense led by one of the area’s best players, while the other had a strong team in nearly every facet that would eventually reach the state’s title game.

On Friday night at Forest Park, there was no C. J. Sapong for Forest Park and the Osbourn Park Yellow Jackets were missing much of the experience and leadership that characterized last year’s team.

But on a windy and blustery evening, two of the area’s top boys’ soccer teams put on a great show anyway, battling to a 1-1 tie in a non-district game at Forest Park High School.

From the start of the game, it was obvious the firepower the Bruins had offensively last season no longer existed and the Bruins would have to rely on a suffocating defense. Forest Park managed just two shots in the first half, and six overall in regulation.

However, its defense was remarkable, preventing Osbourn Park from creating the passing lanes and finding the immaculate spacing that characterized their offensive attack last season. Osbourn Park coach Larry Nemerow said an offense that managed 13 shots but netted just one was attrib-uted both to the Forest Park defense and to his team’s lack of offensive execution.

    After a scoreless first half, Forest Park (0-1-1) needed all of 12 seconds to break through. Twelve seconds into the overtime, Carlos Velasco blasted the ball from just past midfield. The ball ap-peared to pick up a headwind and sailed well over the head of Dennis and into the center of the goal to give Forest Park a 1-0 lead.

    Osbourn Park avoided losing a regular season game for the first time in nearly two years when with just more than a minute remaining in the second five-minute overtime, Matthew Parker took a pass from Matthew Scott and tucked in into the left corner of the goal.

      The goal took some of the sting out of a night of frustration and futility for the Yellow Jackets. Parker said he found some consolation in gaining the tie.

      “A tie is much better than a loss,” Parker said. “But we could have won it if we’d had more heart,” Parker said. “It was frustrating (not to be able to score), but it’s early in the season. We’ll get those goals in the net by the end of the season.”

      Nemerow lamented Osbourn Park’s inability to make shots. Some of it was due to Forest Park’s defense (including the play of goalkeeper Patrick Nuckols, who notched eight saves), Ne-merow said, but much of it was trepidation on the part of his team.

      “When you get 20, or 16, or 12 shots, and only score one goal, that is a feeble attack,” Nemerow said. “Forest Park defended like hell and they are only going to give you one touch, so when you get it, you have to make the most of it. Some of our guys looked like they were surprised they got the ball and didn’t know what to do with it.

      “But it’s early. I am learning about them and they are learning about each other. I don’t think we have the talent as a team on offense that we had last year yet, but individually I think we have what it takes to be a force in the area.”

      Forest Park coach Ken Krieger said Velasco’s shot was “a great goal.”

      “He certainly got the distance on it and made the most of it,” Krieger said. “My defense played great until (near) the very end when they got that goal. You have to give Osbourn Park the benefit of the doubt in that spot. They do everything they can to win. We’ve had a good rivalry with them over the years.”