To the tune of most crosstown rivalries Thursday night, the Columbus North and Columbus East would not allow either to gain the edge throughout the night.
As the
clock ticked closer and closer to zero, the inevitable outcome seemed to be a scoreless draw between the two teams. Christopher Quisenberry and Rick Sanchez wanted nothing to do with that.
In the 76th minute, Quisenberry broke free down the right side of the field, sending a cross left to an open Sanchez, who capitalized putting the ball into the bottom right corner of the net, giving the Olympians their first goal of the season and a stunning 1-0 victory.
[sc:text-divider text-divider-title=”Story continues below gallery” ]Click here to purchase photos from this gallery
“I just knew it was going in. I had no doubt in my mind,” Sanchez said of his late match heroics. “We have been practicing that, and once the chance was there, I just took it.”
“Rick Sanchez is everything you want in a Columbus East Olympian,” East coach Brad Barber said. “He plays the game with passion, he does the right things on and off the field and he is an upperclassmen that the younger guys can look up to.”
The Bull Dogs (0-3) were aggressive throughout the entire night, having plenty of chances to put goals on the board. Taking 18 shots compared to eight for East (1-4), North was able to put only seven of those on goal with no avail.
“I think the biggest thing is, the boys are learning how to play for me, and I’m learning how to coach them,” North coach Tom Pollert said. “It’s going to be a process for us to get to where we need to be, and we think we took a good step tonight.”
Bull Dogs goalkeeper Noah Kestler put forth a strong effort with five saves, many of them in crucial moments during the game.
North’s biggest threat of a goal came in the 43rd minute, when Andrew Goble sent a header off the crossbar that was over the hands of East keeper Zach Roberts.
“This is a team effort,” Barber said. Our backs and our goalkeeper got a shutout, much deserved. I thought they were strong the whole time. And you have to give a lot of credit to the engine of that midfield.”
“I think now the avalanche is coming. Now the goals are going to start to come,” Sanchez said. “We’ve got the confidence, momentum, and I think its going to be a positive outcome”
