Witches win showdown with GSA > Brewer’s 1-0 victory foils Class C Eagles’ upset bid

The controlled defensive play of Brewer canceled out the intensity of the George Stevens Academy Eagles and lifted the Witches to a 1-0 schoolboy soccer victory Thursday at Pendleton Street Field in Brewer.

After Brewer dominated the first half with a 14-6 advantage in shots, the Eagles of Blue Hill answered in the second with more aggressive play, pressuring Brewer’s fullback line and senior goalie Jayson Reynolds.

Reynolds and senior sweeper Dave Gregory responded with some poised, skilled play to thwart GSA, which enjoyed the territorial advantage in the second although shots on goal were even at 9-9.

“They (the Eagles) were real intense, but our defense was great,” said Reynolds, who notched his eighth shutout of the season and finished with nine saves. “Our combination play was great – they were lunging at us and we were giving and going right by them.”

Class A Brewer upped its record to 9-2-1 while GSA, a Class C team, suffered its first loss of the season and is now 12-1.

GSA Coach Dan Kane said his team had a problem finishing off against the Witches.

“They have a good control defense,” Kane said. “They can go back to the ‘keeper and pass around so well that it’s really hard to get a good solid run going against them consistently.”

Reynolds ranged frequently out of the goal and stopped four GSA corner kicks. He also won several 50-50 balls.

“Whenever that ball is going through, Jayson is going to get it every time,” Brewer Coach Mike Jeffrey said.

Brewer, showing off some fine passing skills, featured a controlled game in the first half and peppered GSA goalie J.T. Loomis with eight high-percentage shots. Forwards Darren Beers, Danny Needham, and Scott Weiser applied the pressure while Beers and Needham hooked up to score the game’s only goal with 9:45 left in the first half.

After GSA failed to clear the ball, Needham sent a nice crossing pass from the right flank to Beers, who headed the ball into the net with his back toward the goal. Beers headed the ball down and it hit the ground, bounced up to the left post, and deflected in.

“If I couldn’t get the ball in the net, I wanted to skim it to another teammate. I was a bit surprised when I turned and saw the ball in goal. I thought someone else may have ran off me and kicked the ball in the net,” Beers said.

Brewer applied some second-half pressure as Needham and Beers made hard runs on goal. Two of Needham’s shots went wide, however, and Loomis stopped two of Beers’ shots.

Loomis finished with eight saves. Greg Marancik fired three shots on goal while Scott Murphy and Adam Gray had two each.