Buccaneers' Soccer Falls To McCallie At Home

Blue Tornado Shuts Out Boyd Buchanan, 4-0

  • Tuesday, April 6, 2021
  • William Shelton

The McCallie soccer team was better than Boyd Buchanan in every phase of the game on Tuesday night. They harassed Bucs goalie Gavin McDaniel all night while Blue Tornado keeper Henry Lewis was left mostly unchallenged.

The first half was fast and free flowing, both teams looked comfortable in possession and made most of their forward progress through the middle. The first good chance for either side came from McCallie in the sixth minute off a corner kick. A strong header from a McCallie attacker was parried away from the goal line by the Buc’s right back, showing why it’s always a good idea to keep defenders positioned on the posts during a corner.

Shortly after Boyd Buchanan got their first good look at goal. Kevon Greene, the speedy left winger, launched an open look over the cross bar. It would wind up being one of just a few clean looks the Bucs got on net all night.

McCallie’s attack never stopped clicking, they were led by supremely talented striker Gui Vivaldini and his highly skilled attacking partner Daniel Anderson. Vivaldini and Anderson played off one another beautifully with both enhancing the others play.

Twenty minutes into the game the Blue Tornado finally bagged the goal they had been hunting. Left back Jake Tremain used his big throw in ability to send the ball to the opposite side of the six-yard box. Vivaldini waited patiently on the far post as the ball soared over the Bucs defenders and he slotted a simple tap in goal.

Seven minutes later Vivaldini and Anderson linked up on a beautiful goal to go up 2-0. Tremain was again involved as he sent a long ball up the left side line that was tracked down by Vivaldini who then turned towards goal and dribbled to the edge of the six-yard box. Anderson flew down the middle and delicately flicked Vivaldini’s low cross off the far post and into the net.

Boyd Buchanan also had skilled attackers with Phillip Collins and Joseph Collins up top. They both had speed and a soft touch but the quality of balls coming their way out of the midfield wasn’t good enough to get them open looks on goal.

That’s primarily because even with a dominate attack McCallie’s most positive play of the night came from their defensive line, particularly the center backs. Neal Carlson and Clark Maize snuffed out everything heading their way and did a good job initiating the offense from the back. Both showed great confidence with the ball at their feet and rarely just booted the ball down field.

In the second half Boyd Buchanan started pressing hard and they earned themselves several more chances because of it, however they still never managed to test Lewis in goal. Carlson and Maize responded well and eventually retook control of the tempo in their defensive third.

Helping the McCallie defenders was roaming defensive midfielder Christian Perez. Perez made defensive plays all game that don’t show up on the stat sheet but help a team control the center of the pitch. 

Vivaldini was again involved in McCallie’s third goal, this time he dribbled the ball from close to midfield to the top of the 18 yard-box and unleashed a rocket directly at keeper Gavin McDaniel, who pushed it way. Attacking midfielder William Stamper flew in and cleaned up the rebound making the game 3-0 McCallie.

As the game wore on McCallie controlled more and more of the possession and with 16 minutes left to play another long throw from left back Jake Tremain found its way into the back of the net, this time off the head of Daniel Anderson for the attackers second goal of the game.

Tuesday night’s match was physical but clean. McCallie was slightly better at every position on the field and they deserved the 4-0 victory.

Summary:

McCallie               2  2 – 4

Boyd Buchanan     0  0 – 0

Vivaldini(19’) Anderson(26’ 64’) Stamper(52’)

(Email William Shelton at will.shet21@gmail.com)

Prep Sports
PREP SCHEDULES
  • 4/30/2024

Prep Schedules for Week of: March 25th All times are local to the event (Coaches/ADs: Please send any schedule corrections or addititions to Dennis Norwood, Prep Sports Editor, at ... more

East Hamilton Tennis Takes The Measure Of Bradley Central
  • 3/27/2024

On Wednesday at Standifer Gap Park, the East Hamilton tennis team took on Bradley Central in a Region 3 show down. The East Hamilton boys led by senior William Harden took the Bears down in a ... more

BASEBALL ROUND-UP: Tuesday, March 26th
  • 3/27/2024

Baseball Round-Up: Tuesday, March 26th BASEBALL Baylor 4, Archbishop McCarthy (FL) 0 (IMG National Classic) Notable: Baylor’s Jack Shuman went 2-4 with an RBI, Amari Jefferson had a ... more