Late Drama Saves Pats a Draw

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[size=12pt]Late drama saves Pats a draw [/size]

By Robert Chambliss
Correspondent
Published February 6, 2010


KINGWOOD — A late goal by Goose Creek Memorial’s Brittany Garza evened out the score for her Patriots as they tied the Kingwood Park Panthers 1-1 in Friday night’s District 19-4A game.

The goal came in the 68th minute when Garza stepped up to the 23-yard free kick and drilled it off the crossbar and into the bottom of the net.

Garza had five of the team’s 10 shots on the night, all of which were on target for her.

“To get the draw is helpful,” acting Patriot head coach M.P. Barolin said. “It keeps us on top, and it also gives us to chance to beat them head-to-head when they come to our place.”

The Pats are now tied at the top of the district standings with Kingwood Park at 3-0-1.

The draw was no surprise to many of the parents attending the game, as that is the only result the fixture has ever had.

The teams met two times last year, both of which were ties. This was also the first game that either team scored in, as both results from last year were 0-0.

The Patriot goal didn’t come easy though, as the first 60 minutes were all Kingwood Park.

In the second minute of the game, the Panthers’ Morgan Hansen scored on a shot from the right side of the 18. It initially looked like she was crossing, however, she found the backside of the net with the shot.

“I think the early goal threw us off our game,” Barolin said. “I think it took us by surprise and made us warm up to the game slower than normal.

“But we picked up our spirits there in the second half, and pulled out the goal for the tie.”

The goal seemed to spark the Pats’ in their time of trouble as they only had five shots in the first 60 minutes.

“I think that the goal really sparked us,” Barolin said. “I was telling the girls the entire game to keep their heads up and to keep going.

“They did exactly what I told them and kept their heads held high, and they pulled out the tie. And that tie makes me very proud as a coach because you know that they have heart in them.”

The Patriots’ Amanda Denton was one of the players that got that extra spark.

Denton was in top form the entire match as she held down the defense after the early goal. But when the goal was scored she turned into a new player as she made tackle after tackle, winning possession back for the Pats time after time.

“Amanda played well,” Barolin said. “She did well at covering us on the backside, and she won a lot of possession for us.”

The next meeting between the two juggernauts won’t be played until March 1, but that’s the least of the Pats’ worries as they look to C.E. King.

The game against King will be on Tuesday at 7 p.m. when they come to Baytown to take on the Patriots.

“Tonight was a great game and great result,” Barolin said. “I am again proud of the result and proud of the fight in the girls. This draw helps us stay at the top, but it also helps me know that they don’t have an edge on us, however, we are equal in talent.”