The playoff journey ended in Norfolk for the 2013 edition of Cardinal soccer, but the future is bright for Bishop Ireton soccer.
Bishop Ireton once again played an air-tight first half, but suffered a four-minute lapse that resulted in a pair of Norfolk Academy goals, and the 3rd-seeded Bulldogs hung on for a 2-1 win in the second round of the Division I state boys soccer playoffs on a windy Monday in Norfolk.
Early on the Bulldogs had the game’s best scoring chances as a pair of shots hit the crossbar and ricocheting down but not across the goal line. In the second half senior tri-captain Ryan Wade sent a low cross into the box that Will McDowell finished neatly into the far post in the game’s 58th minute to give the home team a 1-0 advantage. They soon expanded the lead to 2-0 when another senior captain, Drew Ott, scored on a direct kick just outside the box on a crafty crossover where one player stepped over the ball before Ott launched his drive in the opposite direction.
Ireton’s sophomore forward Joey Faddoul cut the lead in half when he scored Ireton’s first goal in regulation since the 7-0 win over Archbishop Carroll, but the Tidewater school slammed the door on any further opportunities for visitors to tie the score.
The Cardinals head home with their strongest season in the past 7 years. It was their first invitation to the VISAA tournament in 10 years, a pair of ties with Gonzaga, one that was decided in penalty kicks in tournament play. With a strong crew of players returning, the day was disappointing, but the days ahead are bright for Coach Jon Norem’s Cardinals.
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