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| Scroggie a wall in shootouts with three saves |
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| Sports | |||
| Written by Gene Morris | |||
| Friday, 11 September 2009 08:00 | |||
GARDNER — If cats, even big ones like Panthers, have nine lives, the Paola High School soccer team might have to go the rest of the season with one life to live after a 3-0 tally in shootouts to break a 1-1 tie against Gardner-Edgerton in the first round of the Frontier League Tournament on Tuesday evening.  After dominating the first 10 minutes, in which they took a 1-0 lead, the Paola Panthers were put on the defensive for more than 60 minutes as the Gardner-Edgerton Trailblazers pelted shot after shot at keeper Isaac Scroggie. He saved 18 of 19 shots on goal in the game and added one penalty kick save in the second half of regulation. Scroggie then did the unthinkable in shootouts, posting three more saves as the Panthers pulled out a 4-1 victory to advance to the semifinals of the league tournament. Helping anchor Scroggie on defense were Derek Butters and Will Randall. Butters made several slide tackle saves right by the goal post to help preserve the victory. Defender Eric Timpe made a game saving play on a corner kick that got past Scroggie, crossing from the left post to the right. Timpe was there to stop the ball by the far post and kick it out for the clear. “You could feel with about 20 minutes to go, it was turning,” Paola coach Matt Higgins said. “You just don’t miss on that many chances and win. I have never seen a team with that many opportunities and not score. “But, our kids never gave up, and this is what can happen when you don’t quit,” Higgins said. “I have never heard of a goalie not giving up a goal on penalty kicks. After he saved the first one, I knew we had a really good chance of winning the game. The first one is the most important shot, and it is hard to overcome that when you miss it.” Several fans, enjoying the victory with the Panthers, said Scroggie was “on fire.” He put on a display few keepers can claim, saving 18 shots in the contest and recording one penalty kick save in regulation with three straight penalty kick saves in shootouts. “I couldn’t believe all of the penalty kicks were shot right down the middle,” Scroggie said. “You try to guess a little bit on where they are going. “This was just awesome,” he said. “I wanted us to get that first goal.” Forward Brandon Gaus just missed only two minutes into the game, drilling one off the top cross bar that came back. Five minutes later, Alex Hermes dribbled down the left wing and in on goal, blasting one past the Gardner-Edgerton keeper for a 1-0 lead. As the rain began falling harder, the Panther attack seemed to be washed away with it.
 Gardner-Edgerton took advantage of its newfound offense, controlling the ball in Paola’s end of the field. The Trailblazers blasted shots and forced corner kicks, keeping Scroggie and the defense on its heels. With 5:18 left in the first half, those chances added up and Gardner-Edgerton tied the game on a long pass down the line and a crossing pass to set up a blast in front of the net and past Scroggie for the 1-1 equalizer. Gardner-Edgerton continued to put the pressure on in the second half with nearly a dozen corner kicks, just heading the ball off the post, kicking over the goal, missing a couple of empty net chances and being denied on a penalty kick by Scroggie after a Trailblazer went down in the box. After two scoreless 10 minute halves of overtime, the league tournament game went to penalty kicks. Jack Pursley took the first shot for the Panthers and blasted one to the near post for a 1-0 lead. The Trailblazer’s first shot went over the goal. Gaus missed a shot wide left. Scroggie denied the Trailblazers on its next shot, smothering one shot straight ahead and right at him. Timpe drilled a shot to the lower left corner, making it 2-0. Scroggie all but iced the win with a save on the Trailblazer’s next shot, kicked right at the middle of the goal where the Panther keeper was camped out. Needing one more goal or a save, the Panthers sealed the win on a goal by Kreston Debrick.
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