Boys soccer team wins a close one against Osbourn

They didn't have but two second-half shots on goal.
But there's something to be said for percentages.

With two goals on two shots the connecting percentage was perfect and just enough to lift Culpeper's boys' varsity soccer team to a 3-2 win over visiting Osbourn last night at Broman Field.

Culpeper's Christian Benites took advantage of a misplayed ball by Osbourn goalie Chris Fenner and connected for what turned out to be the match-winner. It came in the 69th minute and lifted the Blue Devils (3-6, 1-2) to their first Cedar Run District win this season.

"The goalie turned his back on the play," said Benites, a senior midfielder. "I took the ball from him and scored. It felt really great."

Culpeper head coach Tim Kearney wasn't exactly pleased at the disparity in the statistics in the second half-Osbourn fired 12 second-half shots on goal to Culpeper's two-but a win is a win.

"We don't normally beat Osbourn," said Kearney with a dose of dry humor.

Of the disparity in the shots on goal, Kearney explained it this way: "They had the wind behind them in the second half. We had it in the first. We needed to play the ball more on the ground and we didn't do it. If it hadn't been for Christian's determination we'd be sitting here in overtime."

With wind gusts the talk of the weather the past couple of days the wind settled down some at Broman Field but it was still a factor in the match.

Culpeper goalie Gabe Werner, who was particularly busy in the second half when Osbourn had the wind behind its players, knew the wind was a certain factor.

"With the wind coming in at us it was tough getting the ball out," said Werner who turned in a good performance with 12 second-half saves and 16 for the match.

Benites pointed to Osbourn's speed to explain its 12 shots on goal in the second half to Culpeper's two.

"They're really fast," he said.
The Eagles, who fell to 3-5-1, pressed early and often in the second half and their shots on goal were launched with more authority than the ones in the first half.

But the Blue Devils, who led 1-0 at the intermission thanks to Carter Mill's goal in the 10th minute, added what would have been an insurance goal in the 50th minute when Luis Hernandez capitalized on an Eagle breakdown.

An Osbourn defender passed the ball back to Fenner for what looked like a routine clear for the Eagle goalie but when Fenner misplayed the ball, thanks largely to the pressure of Culpeper's Jonathan Wilkerson, Hernandez took possession and booted the ball into an undefended net to give the Blue Devils a 2-0 advantage.

After Culpeper's Matt Willett broke up an Eagle scoring threat in the 53rd minute, Osbourn's offensive pressure finally paid off as Jarrett Starke, a senior midfielder and team captain, converted in the 54th minute to make it 2-1.

Willett was shaken up on the play and came to the sidelines. Mills, one of the team's premier threats to score, was moved back to defense in Willett's place until Willett returned minutes later.

Osbourn's Morris Ramirez scored in the 65th minute to tie the match and overtime began to seem like a possibility. But Benites' score in the 69th minute, coupled with the play of Werner and his defenders in front of him, thwarted an Osbourn comeback and eliminated the need for overtime.

Werner blamed himself for Osbourn's second goal.
"I should have had it," he said. "I felt like such a goat. The team played so hard and with such determination. It was exciting to win but that goal (by Ramirez) crushed me."

Werner signaled out Mills as a key contributor in the match.
And it was no great surprise. The junior midfielder/forward, who switched to defender when needed, attempted four of his team's six first-half shots on goal. His second shot came during the 10th minute and produced the half's only score.

After being foiled in the 7th minute when Mills' one-on-one situation against Fenner resulted in his shot going wide, Mills got one-on-one again and this time simply lofted the ball over Fenner's head and watched it roll into an empty.

Mills attempted to extend the Blue Devil lead in the 31st minute but his shot was wide of the mark. Benites tried as well. His shot three minutes later was fired right at Fenner who was there for the save. Fenner finished the match with four stops.
Werner had four first-half saves and also came out from goal to break up several potential scoring opportunities for Osbourn.
Willett intercepted Osbourn's fifth shot on goal to help preserve the 1-0 lead that the Blue Devils took to the intermission.
Culpeper returns to action tonight when the Blue Devils play host to Stonewall Jackson.

Junior Varsity Soccer
In boys' junior varsity soccer action, visiting Osbourn defeated Culpeper 4-1 last night at Broman Field.

The Blue Devils avoided the shutout when Eliseo Hernandez scored on a header in the 38th minute of the 60-minute match. His goal was set up by a corner kick from teammate Daniel Vargas. The Blue Devils fell to 3-5 on the year.

Mark O'Connell can be contacted at