After dropping its first two contests, Keystone finally had a chance to play a home game Aug. 24 against Lorain County League foe Brookside.
While Keystone looked to be running away with the game late, Brookside tied the game late before Zander Yoho kicked his fourth goal in the 78th minute for a 5-4 win. Keystone moved to 1-2 (1-0) while Brookside dropped its first game of the season.
“Those guys up top with (Chase and Zander) do a good job for us,” Keystone coach Tom Baracskai said. “They hustled and never quit. As a team, we did some good things, but we were getting beat (late) when they got three scores up on us. Our defense adjusted and did what they had to do to keep the ball up front for Zander and other guys to have more chances at the goal and it worked out in the end.”
Aside from the 78th minute, Yoho scored goals at 25 minutes, 53 and 58, assisting with Chase Cuson’s goal (29) and Cuson returning the favor on two of Yoho’s early goals.
PHOTOS: Keystone vs. Brookside boys soccer, Aug. 24, 2022
“Those guys have grown up playing peewee soccer together,” Baracskai noted. “They’re playing high school soccer together and they’re on the same club team. Those two know each other like brothers, and know instinctively what the other one’s going to do. Our players feed off that and also feed our guys on the outside.”
“You’d think those two know each other so well, it wouldn’t be a team mentality. But they’re happy to feed other guys and put it out to them too.
After Yoho’s first goal, Brookside’s Landon Goodrich found the back of the net with a 15-footer during the 27th minute, with the Wildcats scoring three unanswered to move up to 4-1.
Brookside refused to quit, with EJ Torres and Nico Morello both scoring in the 64th minute to cut the deficit back down to one.
Brookside’s Noah Adkins hit the equalizer in the 77th minute, setting the two conference foes for a potential tie.
That would have happened if not for Yoho’s fourth goal of the night in the 78th minute, slicing and dicing through Brookside’s defense to punch it into the upper right corner of the Brookside net for the fourth goal and a career high.
VIDEO: @Khsboyzsoccer Zander Yoho after the game. Had a career high four goals. pic.twitter.com/oBxq86cUaF
— Sean Fitzgerald (@fitzonsportsbsr) August 25, 2022
“It was a great team game,” Yoho said. “Brookside is a great team, they played well and came back. I think in the end, we came back stronger and got the win. (We got) great defense from our guys and all-around great stuff.”
It was a tough game to lose after coming back late for Chris Adkins’ Cardinals, but they fought to the end with a resilient attitude.
“That’s what we just talked about (with that resilience),” Adkins said. “It was game one for us and we’re down a few goals. We could have easily gone in the tank, but the kids fought back hard and did whatever they could to give themselves a chance to win the game. Obviously, they had a great play on the other side of the field that takes it away from you.”
Baracskai tipped his cap to Brookside for the fight they showed, especially after battling back from a deep hole if not for Yoho’s late heroics.
“Hats off to those guys,” he said. “They never got down on themselves. When we got a lead, they kept their heads up and kept hurling and pounding, and kept hammering away. Like I tell my guys, if you take more shots than the other team, the odds are you’re going to win, that’s an odds thing. And (Brookside did), they caught us. But our guys kept their heads up and did what they needed to do.”
Keystone is set to host Christian Community for another home match Aug. 26 at 5 pm, while Brookside hits the road Aug. 27 for another away game, this time at VASJ starting at noon.