By Sara Page, Midlothian Exchange
spage@midlothianexchange.com

After losing nine starters from last year’s team, the Midlothian boys’ soccer team could be said to be in a rebuilding year.

With a 6-7 record year as of last Thursday, the team is taking a few licks but also gaining some momentum. The Trojans have dropped six of their seven losses by just one goal and they’ve taken two of the region’s top teams to overtime.

The latest overtime game netted a 1-0 loss against top-ranked Deep Run in the College Soccer Showcase at Cosby High School on Thursday night.

The teams played to a scoreless tie in regulation. The Wildcats got on the board early in the first of two overtime periods when Carl Weber collected a ball that deflected off a Midlothian defender. Weber sent a quick cross to Bobby McDonnell on the left post and McDonnell hit a hard grounder inside the opposite post to notch the only score of the game.

“They’re a very talented team and I think we gave them all that they could handle. We probably had an edge in chances but we made one mistake at the back and they punished us,” Midlothian head coach Ted Jones said. “It was a good goal, a well-worked goal.”

Midlothian couldn’t get the momentum swing they needed in overtime, but had three good looks at the Deep Run goal in regulation.

After a first half played mostly at midfield, the Trojans came out strong. Midfielder Michael Meszaros got a ball on the right side and took it deep into Wildcat territory. His kick on goal brought goalie Blake Carrey off his line with a short dive for the stop with just three minutes gone in the half.

According to Jones, the Trojans hadn’t made any adjustments, but simply took an opportunity offered them.

“We were happy with how things were going,” Jones said. “If they’re the number one team in the region then they need to come at us and we set up to be a counter-attaching team. We played 4-5-1, and I think that they were frustrated … I think we just needed a little bit more composure in front of goal.”

Meszaros nearly had the winning goal again with just five minutes left. He flipped a short ball over Carrey’s head but was blocked by a defender from getting to the ball as it dribbled just past the right post.
Meanwhile the Midlothian defense held the Wildcats to mostly long shots.

Deep Run’s Jake Summers had the best opportunity from about 30 yards out. He sent a powerful shot on target for the right upper-V, but Midlothian goalie Danny Blake got a hand on it to redirect the shot out of bounds. The Trojans cleared the resulting corner.

Midlothian also got great defensive stops from Shaun Taylor, who blocked a hard kick headed for the center of the net, and Joey Crespo, who got a head on a beautiful, curving corner kick.

“[The coaches are] very pleased because we’re just a little bit off, and that’s experience,” Jones said. “We just need a little bit more experience to win those games. We’re definitely not a 6-7 team, but we’re young, and out of our seven losses, we’ve lost six by a goal … It’s disappointing [to lose in overtime] but we’re proud of them.”

Carrey finished with six saves for the Wildcats. Danny Blake also picked up six for the Trojans.

Midlothian rebounded with a 5-0 win over Powhatan in Friday’s game. Scoring for the Trojans were James Lawrence with two, Finnlay Wyatt with two and Meszaros with one. Blake made two saves for the team.