Falcons escape on late goal to tie Cardinal boys, 1-1

Sophomore Preston Haugh (8) scored Ireton's first half goal in a 1-1 tie with Good Counsel.

For the much of the first 60 minutes of Bishop Ireton’s boys soccer game with second place Good Counsel, the Falcons struggled to mount sustained offensive pressure in the Cardinals’ end of the field while trailing 1-0. Once they did it still didn’t produce results until the game’s last 240 seconds, when an Alassandro Burlew finished a wild scramble in the box following a corner kick to get Good Counsel on the scoreboard with 2:44 seconds remaining in the contest.

For the Cardinals, it was another strong performance by arguably the league’s most improved team over the past two years. After Andrew Perham’s sprawling save, Ireton regrouped and Preston Haugh kicked a knuckling shot on net that handcuffed the ‘keeper to give the home team a 1-0 lead. Moments later Haugh blasted another shot on net, but was denied the chance to widened the lead.

Early in the second half both teams had opportunities, Nick Ducceschi got an open look that was turned away and the Falcons replied with a shot on a sharp angle that hit the goalpost and richoceted away all in the period’s first 4 minutes. The teams sparred in midfield and exchanged rushes into the offensive zones until Good Counsel began to press the Cardinals in the half’s closing moments, leading to the tying marker. Even at that the game ended with Bishop Ireton deep in the Falcons’ zone pushing for the game winner as the whistle sounded.

The Cardinals, battling Ryken, PVI, and St Johns for a #4 seed in the upcoming championship tournament, have a pair of key games to end the season. They travel to St Johns on Friday for a 4pm start and end the regular season WCAC play on Wednesday at Paul VI. Two wins could secure a possible home playoff date, losses could push them as low as 6th and a trip to Olney to face the Falcons on their pitch.