SOCCER: The Cavaliers and War Eagles end first match up in a draw

THE WOODLANDS, Texas — The College Park Cavalier soccer team (2-6-1, 0-1-2) hosted the Oak Ridge War Eagles (8-4-1, 2-1-1) on Friday night. A quick goal for the War Eagles and a late goal for the Cavalier’s resulted in a district draw for both teams.

The Cavs took the opening kickoff but immediately directed the ball back into their defending half of the field. This allowed Oak Ridge senior forward Logan Aucioin, who recently signed to play soccer at the University of Mary Hardin-Baylor, to take control of the ball. He snuck the ball between the legs of the College Park goal keeper in the first 30 seconds of the game. The slow moving shot was almost kicked out of coal by a Cavalier defender, but his momentum took him into the goal along with the ball. That put the War Eagles up 1-0.

In the 8th minute, the Cavalier’s got their first good offensive chance on Oak Ridge. College Park midfielder Brady Burns took a throw in even with the top of the penalty box and threw the ball clear into the box, similar to a corner kick. But a Cavalier foul immediately gave the ball back to Oak Ridge.

Oak Ridge’s next opportunities came on two corners' kicks in the 20th and 21st minute, both played in by Aucioin. The first was knocked out of play by College Park junior goal keeper Austin Heath. The second was headed over the cross bar by the War Eagles. 1-0 would be the score at the half.

Oak Ridge got the ball to start the second half. College Park’s Matt Freeman had a chance at goal, going one-on-one with the War Eagle goalie in the 3rd minute. The keeper defeated the ball and a War Eagle defender cleared it before another Cavalier could follow up.

In the 9th minute, senior Rodrigo Perez for College Park took a shot on goal that barley cleared the side post. College Park fans began to cheer thinking that the shot was going to go in to tie the game. It ended up being just wide and resulted in an Oak Ridge goal kick.

Both teams stayed pretty quiet in the second half until the 33rd minute when College Park junior Jaxon Whittington, from the left side of the goal placed a shot just over the Oak Ridge goal keeper’s head. With the score, the College Park fans got back into the game.

Despite having possession for most of the final minute, great pressure by the College Park defense kept the War Eagles from regaining the lead. The game ended in a 1-1 draw.

The Cavalier’s next match is at Kingwood on Saturday, February 13th and the War Eagles next face the Highlanders from The Woodlands High School on Tuesday, February 16th.