Cardinal's 'Big Red Wall' Defense Holds Firm Against NOVA
FINAL: Northern Virginia Community College Nighthawks 0, CCBC Catonsville Cardinals 0
On Thursday, September 14th, the CCBC Catonsville Cardinals clashed with the visiting Northern Virginia Community College Nighthawks. The two teams are coming off less-than-ideal seasons last year, each looking to make their presence known in Region 20. The Nighthawks entered Thursday's game with a 1-2-1 record, while the Cardinals were 3-3. The gameplay reflected both teams fighting for a .500 record.
The Cardinals got off to a hot start, as sophomore forward Mike Miranda (Lansdowne) found himself with a great goal-scoring opportunity about one minute into the contest. However, goalie Harbyn Velasquez made a phenomenal save. Stand-out freshman forward Mykal Hogan (Boys Latin) had another solid performance, leading the Cardinals offense to multiple scoring chances and a tremendous shot on goal. Hogan was able to sneak behind the defense and placed the ball in the back of the net but made his run too early and was called for offsides. This was a common theme for the Cardinals' offense, as they just could not find the back of the net after racking up nine shots.
The best scoring chance for the Cardinals came towards the end of the first half, as freshman forward Bradley Ramirez (Newtown) broke loose and netted a shot. Offsides was the call once again, denying the Cardinals and leading to a 0-0 halftime score.
Catonsville's defense held strong once again, led by captain Paul Catalfamo (Kenwood). Deadlocked with the Nighthawks, the Cardinals' defense was forced to step up in the second half as freshman goalie Franklin Duarte (Meade) and freshman forward Daniel Adjel both received red cards. This put the Cardinals at an extreme disadvantage as they had to play nine against eleven for most of the second half. Catonsville's "Big Red Wall" held strong, countering the Nighthawks attack with nine total shots as well. In addition, sophomore goalie Nkem Chimah (Franklin) stepped up to aid the defense when he subbed in for Duarte. Chimah maintained a clean sheet, recording several clutch saves including one in the final minute to preserve the tie. In a very chippy, aggressive game, the Cardinals battled through plenty of unlucky outcomes and survived losing their two players to tie the Nighthawks 0-0.
The Cardinals are looking forward to bouncing back next Tuesday, September 19th as they travel to Anne Arundel Community College. Catonsville is currently 1-1 on the road, fighting to improve their record and hold their position as the number three ranked team in Region 20.
