Jonah Sipes
For the Columbus North boys soccer team, Saturday’s regular-season finale against Middletown (Ohio) Bishop Fenwick was a little concerning in more ways than one.
Fenwick rallied from a 3-0 deficit in the final 30 minutes to forge a 3-3 tie with the Bull Dogs. But perhaps the more pressing concern for North is the health of two of its top players after they left with injuries late in the first half.
Midfielders Luccas Peda and Angel Espejel were going for a ball when they collided in the 29th minute. Both were down on the field before a few minutes before being carted off. Peda eventually returned to the sidelines, while Espejel was taken to a hospital.
At the time, North led 1-0 on a goal by Manuel Valle off an assist from Parker Gribbins in the 17th minute. A goal by Jonah Sipes in the 36th minute and a goal by Sipes off an assist from Mathiang Kak in the 48th minute gave the Bull Dogs a 3-0 advantage.
Fenwick then used goals from Jack Coch in the 52nd and 61st minutes to cut the lead to 3-2. Coch then assisted Charlie Williams for the game-tying goal with just 54 seconds remaining.
“We had some pieces that got injured there in the first half, and that changed the rhythm of things there,” North coach Andy Glover said. “Usually, we can move some pieces around, and the rhythm isn’t that disrupted, but it was a little bit today. I think we were giving them a little too much space in some places we don’t normally concede space, and that made it a little more difficult for us.”
The Bull Dogs also have been without its top defender, senior Leo Iorio, who broke his collarbone early in the season.
North (6-4-5) outshot the Falcons 24-8, putting 13 shots on goal to seven for Fenwick (5-8-1). Nicolas De Linan Palacios and Jaden Andrade each played a half in goal, and each recorded two saves.
“In the second half, we did have two or three very good chances,” Glover said. “If those fall in, that changes the outcome. We had a post out, we had a header that got knocked down just a little bit wide. We had moments; we just didn’t finish all of them.”
The Bull Dogs open postseason play against Franklin at 6 p.m. Tuesday in the Whiteland Sectional.
“I think it’s very important to have a good match going into the postseason,” Glover said. “That way any air of complacency is removed from the equation. We’ll come back Monday, work on solving the problems to see if we can get our team organized going into the postseason.”
