Despite late 2nd half push by Panthers, Wellsville stays one step ahead to pick up 4th win in first five games

Wellsville freshman Ethan Bailey (23) and Andover/Whitesville junior Luke Erdmann, off-center, go up for the header during Saturday afternoon’s contest in Andover. [Chris Brooks/WellsvilleSports.com]

Wellsville sophomore Aidan Riley (18) celebrates with teammate Cody Costello (20) after scoring the first goal of their Saturday afternoon contest in Andover. [Chris Brooks/WellsvilleSports.com]

Wellsville freshman Cooper Brockway (11) and Andover/Whitesville senior Spencer Cook (7) joust for the loose ball at midfield during Saturday afternoon’s contest in Andover. [Chris Brooks/WellsvilleSports.com]

Wellsville sophomore Cody Costello (20) pushes the pace down the near endline, as Andover/Whitesville junior Evan Green (4) races to defend during Saturday afternoon’s contest in Andover. [Chris Brooks/WellsvilleSports.com]

Andover/Whitesville sophomore CJ Estep (3) and Wellsville senior Jake Schrlau (16) race after the loose ball at midfield during Saturday afternoon’s contest in Andover. [Chris Brooks/WellsvilleSports.com]

Andover/Whitesville senior Chris Walker (14) dribbles down the field under pressure from Wellsville senior Alex Ordiway, off-center, during Saturday afternoon’s contest in Andover. [Chris Brooks/WellsvilleSports.com]

ANDOVER — Playing back-to-back games 24 hours removed from one another can be a tough task at hand. That was a scenario the Lions of Wellsville had to face entering Saturday afternoon’s festivities over the road for the first time this season at Andover/Whitesville, after shutting out Scio back home the previous night.

It was also a game where the Lions aimed to collect their fourth victory in the first five games of the season, while the Panthers looked to grab their first win of the season. It was safe to say that it was a physical and chaotic battle throughout the entirety of the 80 minutes posted on the scoreboard. But in the end, despite some added pressure, Wellsville was able to come out on top.

Even though Andover/Whitesville kicked into gear in the later stages of the second half, the Lions were able to stay one step ahead of the Panthers, as they never gave up their established lead to the hosts in purple, picking up two big goals to keep their two-goal lead in tact to move to a 4-0-1 start on the season behind a 4-2 road victory.

“I don't know how many chances we had that were point blank, or just great shots overall, but it's a cruel game,” Lions coach Matt Buckley said. “If this is a basketball game, we win this game by 30. But it's a soccer game, and it was close. It's tough playing back-to-back nights, and the legs weren't there with some of the guys. Yes, we got a little rest from last night with some guys, but some of our key guys had to play a lot last night as well. Spencer Cook's really fast up front for Andover, and they did a great job getting the ball to him up front. We lost him a couple times where our positioning was bad.”

Both teams were off to a slow start in the first 20 minutes before the mask break, as it settled in to become an early midfield battle for possession, with Spencer Cook turning on the jets for most of the Panthers (0-4-1) chances in the half. It was also a sign that Buckley had to alert his team with during the brief break in the action. The second-year head coach at the end of it challenged his team to go and score, and stop the momentum the Panthers were building.

“They felt like it was going to come,” Buckley said. “I felt like the longer things continued to go, the harder it was going to be to score. I thought we missed several opportunities early, and it was one of those feelings where we can't put the ball in the back of the net. But this is exactly what we wanted, we wanted this score right after the break.”

They didn’t shy away from the challenge, as Wellsville (4-0-1) was the first team to break the ice a short time after the timeout, as a pass from Ethan Bailey rolled over to his left where Aidan Riley rushed in. Riley put the ball away after the pass to the near post of the Andover/Whitesville cage to get the ball rolling for the Lions. From that point, the chances on the Panthers net continued to mount, as Bailey sent along a pass to Alex Ordiway on the far sidelines on the next rush. Ordiway shimmied his way past the defense to let his shot go, but hit the top of the crossbar, while Dominic Sawyer came back with a shot directly off the post immediately afterward.

But their best chance to go up by a pair came with under five minutes left to play in the half, as Colby Gaines made an incredible stop on a penalty kick from Ordiway, diving to his left to scoop up the ball and hold onto it to halt any further play.

In the second half, the energy that was absorbed by the penalty kick save by Gaines was used to get Andover/Whitesville’s offense moving, as they ended the shutout to tie the game six minutes in. Responsible for it was Spencer Cook, who received a long ball from center down the far sidelines. Wellsville keeper Logan Dunbar came out of the goal to challenge the play, but Cook’s awareness came into play, scooping the ball pass a mobile Dunbar to provide the shot on a wide-open cage to knot up the game at one.

The tie would not stay for long though, as Cody Costello gave Wellsville the lead right back just eight minutes later on the team’s next big offensive rush. With the ball sent from left to his right side, Costello wound up and fired the ball to the very far side of the Panthers cage to spring the Lions back ahead. With under 20 minutes to play, the Lions added to it with another.

On back-to-back corner kick opportunities, Cody Costello made sure the second attempt was picture perfect, as he delivered a gorgeous cross in front of the goal where Cooper Brockway waited to put away the header for his first goal of the season, and a 3-1 Lions lead.

“It was nice to see another kid score for us in Cooper Brockway, it was nice to see him get involved in such a perfect play Cody (Costello) created for him. I saw Cooper do that all summer playing club soccer, and when I saw that today, it was exactly just like what he's done before. It was great.” said Buckley.

But as the Panthers continued to respond to Wellsville’s answers, they did so once again to cut the deficit back down to one again. On a similar play to their last goal, it was one that forced Dunbar out of the Lions cage to contest. On the rush led by Cook downfield, the ball was popped over the head of Dunbar and right on target where Cormac Brown was on the doorstep to put it away with the slightest taps.

All of a sudden, it was a 3-2 lead for Wellsville with 15 minutes remaining.

With Andover/Whitesville finding ways to build the pressure up against Wellsville, the Lions shook it off after a big call just outside the Panthers box. It would set up a monumental opportunity to put the game on ice for Jake Schrlau, as he elected to take control of the direct kick from 20 yards away. Schrlau kept the ball on the ground, and found an open Sam Schmidt making a sprint inside toward the net where he was able to finish off the play, top shelf above Gaines in goal to keep the visitors in the driver’s seat for good with six minutes left in the game.

In the shot department, Wellsville took the overall advantage with a 16-6 count over Andover/Whitesville. Dunbar picked up the victory behind four saves, while Gaines set aside 12 total shots on the other side for the Panthers.

The red-hot Lions will look to continue their success with their toughest test of the season coming to town Tuesday night for a 6 p.m. bout, as they square off back home with the Fillmore Eagles. On Monday, Andover/Whitesville will look to continue their search for win number one on the road in Friendship at 5 p.m.