By Zack Peterson
The Laker/Lutz News Correspondent
The Wharton and Gaither boys and girls soccer teams played to 0-0 and 1-1 draws, respectively, during the final games before the Winter Break on Dec. 20.
The boys contest was dampened by strong storms that blew in around halftime.
“It seemed more like a friendly game than a Wharton-Gaither game, which is a little disappointing to be honest,” said Gaither coach Eric Sims. “There wasn’t much intensity. No passion, no emotion.”
The girls squared off first under still clear skies, and the Cowboys (4-5-2) moved swiftly.
Wharton (11-2-4) coach Denis Vukorep said Gaither’s immediacy clearly affected the game, especially in the 13th minute when Nicole Hoban slipped a goal through the Wildcats’ defensive web for a 1-0 lead.
“They looked like they wanted to win more,” Vukorep said. “We didn’t have the killer instinct.”
Vukorep said his team controlled the ball well, but failed to organize powerful scoring drives — until the second half.
Wharton evened the score in the 49th minute when Ashni Deschenes capitalized on a free kick and laced a goal into the upper right corner of Gaither’s net. The senior forward recorded five tallies in the Wildcats’ 7-0 victory over Alonso two nights before and stands at 15 for the season.
Both teams struggled to break the other for the next 30 minutes. Deschenes felt unsatisfied with the tie, saying that the game was flat.
“We need to come out with fire every game,” Deschenes said.
Similar to the girls game, both boys squads floundered trying to break the other’s defense.
The clear skies turned to downpours after halftime, which soaked the field and slowed play.
Sims said the Cowboys (5-5-3), who out-shot and out-possessed the Wildcats (3-5-4), failed to capitalize on their opportunities.
“We were unlucky not to win,” Sims said. “We definitely had the majority of the chances.”
The other part, Sims acknowledged, was Wharton goalie Keenan Kushner’s performance. Time and time again, the senior dove, leaped and smothered rocket shots from the Cowboy’s offense.
“We were good defensively tonight,” Kushner said, but added that they could have stepped up offensively.
Wildcats coach Scott Ware agreed with Kushner, but said he was most proud of the fighting spirit.
“Even with the weather conditions, I still thought we had good energy,” Ware said. “Eric Sims is a good coach, and I thought it was an evenly matched game.”
Ware wanted his players to take the night’s result, remember them and take them into break in their minds.
“Over break, I want my guys to keep a positive attitude,” Ware said. “I want everyone who needs to recover to get healthy and know that we can compete with anyone in our district come January.”
Wharton travels to Steinbrenner Jan. 9, while Gaither plays at Jefferson Jan. 8. The girls start at 6 p.m. followed by the boys at 8 p.m.
