After delay, Cougars come out in a flash to win

STUARTS DRAFT – After a 30 minute lightening delay, Stuarts Draft kicked up the intensity and fought its way to a 3-0 win over Liberty-Bedford on Monday in the first round of Region III play.
Before the weather interruption the Minute Men had control of the game and all the expectations of a win, but the Cougars were the ones who came out of the break on fire.
“This was kind of a funny game because you come out and everything is dry but then everything is wet within minutes,” Stuarts Draft coach Chris Loomis said. “In soccer you don’t have breaks like that.”
Though the delay had negative effects on Liberty, Draft took full advantage of a chance to redeem itself.
Drenched in rain, the Cougars hammered the Minute Men goalie. Neither the Liberty defense, nor the slick field, was going to stop Draft from claiming a victory.
“Liberty’s style of play is a lot different from ours,” said Loomis.
After a few strikes on the goal the Cougars were finally able to put a mark on the board. Draft’s Tielor Dietrich worked the ball up the field with some fancy footwork, and even with three Minute Men on; he was able to send the ball into the net at 20:20.
Draft was able to contain the Liberty forwards with aggressive, man-up defense. The Cougars allowed minimal attempts at their goal.
“Our two forwards, who both made all region, are the creative minds behind our game,” said Loomis. “They are definitely dependable.”
With 13:27 on the clock, Dietrich again made his was up the field, and with a quick pass off to Stephen Daskvich, the Cougars had another goal. With the score at 2-0, and the weather continuing to be uncooperative, the teams were sent into halftime.
“We play a simple game,” Loomis said. “We pass to the feet and move, today it just worked.”
After slipping and sliding all over the field, both teams were exhausted coming into the second. The Cougars played off the Minute Men on defense, attacking the ball only when it came close to the box. Though both squads were equal in speed, the teams were running on pure adrenaline until the final buzzer.
At 12:06 Liberty had an own-goal, the final time the ball would meet the net.
Stuarts Draft will travel to Northside for the semi-final round of the Region III.
“Northside is a really tough team,” Loomis said. “They should bring us a good game.”