Eastside Triumphs Over Palatka to Advance to the District Semi-finals

Cherie Chick February 1, 2022 Eastside High School, Gainesville, High School Sports, Soccer 875 Views

For the first matchup since 2012, the Eastside Rams varsity boys soccer team defeated the Palatka Panthers 3-0 in the 4A District 3 Tournament quarterfinals on Friday night. In this rare but exciting matchup, the Rams not only hoped to advance to the semi-finals but also to extend their two-game winning streak. The Rams were strong and took control for most of the game, but the Panthers fought hard and gave the Rams a challenge.

New Strategy

The Rams had high hopes and were confident before the game due to their winning streak. Even though it was an important elimination game, the Rams head coach – Greg Sawyer wanted to deploy a new strategy. He planned to start all the underclassmen in order for them to gain experience through playing more minutes on the field.

“We expect the boys to play hard, play fair, play in control, move the ball well, and be selfless. So, make good passes and share with their colleagues.”

Freshman Gives the Edge to the Rams

The Rams attacked early and frequently, controlling the possession of the ball for the majority of the time, and had multiple opportunities to score since the beginning. At 15:36, Andres Stuve attempted a close shot from a corner kick, but the Panthers’ defenders were able to kick the ball out, resulting in a throw-in a few inches from the end line. 10 seconds later (15:46), freshman Liam Jawitz made the first goal of the game (his first goal of the season) from the throw-in and took the Rams to a 1:0 lead. The Panthers only managed to have 1 shot on goal in the first 20 minutes as the Rams’ defense stayed strong.

After the water break, the atmosphere of the game shifted as the Panthers started to find their rhythm by attacking more aggressively. The Panthers’ possession of the ball and shot attempts significantly increased. Meanwhile, the Rams struggled to play in control as the substitutions tried to find their rhythm. Even though both teams had a few opportunities, the Panthers only managed to take 1 shot on target while the Rams did not make any attempts on target.

Energy Shift in the 2nd Half

From the start of the 2nd half, the Rams gained momentum quickly with an increase in the level of energy.  Organization of passes and shot opportunities greatly improved for the Rams which created struggles for the Panthers to stop them defensively. At 50:58, the Rams attacked quickly at the side and lured the Panther’s defenders to them. With a few solid passes, the Rams were able to locate an open Nico Hincapie in the middle of the penalty box to score the Rams’ second goal at 50:75. 2 minutes later, Nio Suzuki scored the third and final goal of the game with a long assist by Kazu Someya. While the Panthers held on and tried to formulate attacks, they were no match for the highly energized Rams in the 2nd half.

Reflecting on the game

Coach Sawyer’s strategy was successful as the underclassmen not only acquired experience with more playing minutes but also gained confidence as a freshman managed to score a goal. Overall, the Rams’ organized passes and energy level were detrimental to the team’s victory.

Co-captain Sawyer Cohen looks to improve the team’s midfield strategy to capitalize on goals in the next game. He is hopeful for the Rams to ultimately win the district tournament.

What’s Next for the Rams?

The Eastside Rams are surely gaining energy and momentum as they have extended to a 3-game winning streak. The Rams will look to further their streak and proceed to the district finals on Tuesday night.

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