Peter ends Downingtown East’s losing streak
Downingtown — It was a battle Royale between Downingtown East and Downingtown West boys soccer teams at DiSerafino Stadium on Thursday night.
Then again, what else it to be expected between the two archrivals?
“(The game) just brings so much more energy,’ said East head coach Tom Creighton. “I thought it was great. The back-and-forth soccer? That’s how it’s supposed to be. At times, they were the better team and at times we were the better team. It was a hard fought battle.’
Coming into the match on a three-game losing streak and without a goal in each of those, East was looking to change its fortunes, and that’s exactly what happened when senior Nick Peter became the overtime hero, giving East the 1-0 win.
“I think we had a total of four shots in (those) three games,’ Creighton said. “Getting three or four shots in the last five or six minutes of that game was nice. To come off a three-game skid I’m sure these boys are extremely excited.’
It didn’t start off quite as well for the Cougars, though.
Sure, there was still some back-and-forth action, but West had the better of the scoring chances in the first half.
East, however, supplied a good amount of the physicality.
“We did a better job of putting it together in the second half, but as far as the physical presence, that was there the entire game,’ Creighton said. “In order to win soccer games, you’ve got to have technical ability, but you have to be physical. Soccer is a physically sport and I think a lot of people have forgotten that.
“I’m glad our boys went out there and played the way they did and they got a favorable result. They had us on our heels at times.’
The game continued to be a stalemate through the second half, though the Cougars were putting more chances together, especially in later part of it.
“I don’t think anybody in the league separated themselves this year, so every game is going to be a tight match,’ said West head coach Dave Hatt. “This is a test for us. We need to come together as a group in order to get through it or else we’re going to continue to struggle, which we’re doing right now.’
