April 19, 2024

CMB’s missed opportunity allows Des Moines Christian to pull away

By Troy Hyde
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Collins-Maxwell/Baxter senior Tucker Maxwell (14) keeps the ball away from Des Moines Christian’s Braden Dexter in front of the Raiders’ goal on Friday night. Also defending on the play are goalkeeper Brendyn Padget and defender Drake Ross (11). The Lions won 8-1. (Troy Hyde)

MAXWELL ­— Carter Fricke used his speed to get around the Des Moines Christian defense early in the second half.

Fricke eventually got a one-on-one shot attempt against Lion goalie Josh Swanson. The shot sailed high over the goal post though, and that missed opportunity helped Des Moines Christian pull away.

Trailing 3-1 at the time of the miss, Des Moines Christian added five second-half goals in an 8-1 victory Friday.

“That’s pretty much what’s happened all season,” CMB coach Crystal Bruntz said. “We just haven’t been able to capitalize on the opportunities we do have.”

The opportunities against the Lions were few far and between for the Raiders in the non-conference battle. Des Moines (8-2) outshot CMB 45-11 in the match. The shots on goal advantage for the Lions was 30-7.

The Lions jumped out to a 3-0 lead in the first 35 minutes of the match.

CMB got a goal with 3.2 seconds on the clock before halftime to get within two goals.

Junior Ryan Sabastiano put in a goal off a deflection that came off a Fricke shot attempt. The goal was set up by a long pass from junior Devon Carson.

Other than that goal and the Fricke miss early in the second half, the Raiders (3-10) didn’t have many other opportunities to score.

“We need to have better control of the ball,” Bruntz said. “That’s our biggest issue offensively. We need to control it long enough to work the ball upfield.”

Des Moines Christian, which has won four straight games, kept the ball on its offensive half of the field for most of the game. Unlike CMB, the Lions were able to cash in on a lot of their opportunities.

Five of their eight goals scored came directly off a corner kick, free kick or throw in.

Junior Ben Webster got the Lions on the board in the 23rd minute.

A little more than two minutes later, senior Matt Brightman scored on a header that came off a corner kick by senior Shawn McGuire.

McGuire set up the third goal with a long throw in that was placed right in front of the net and in front of CMB goalie Brendyn Padget.

At the other end of the pass was senior Braden Dexter, who put it on with a header in the 35th minute.

Webster scored three more times in the second half. His second goal of the game came in the 54th minute when he scored on a header off a long pass by junior Hawan Jang.

Brightman scored his second goal of the game and fourth this season two minutes later. He scored on a header directly off a Webster throw in.

Webster scored his third goal the game with a penalty kick and then put in his fourth goal with 15:23 left in the game. Webster now has 16 goals on the season.

The final goal of the game was scored by McGuire. This one came off a free kick by Brightman.

“It was a communication thing on our end,” Bruntz said.

“We need to mark up and stay with our guy. There is not much else to say other than that.”

Padget had 15 saves in goal for CMB. Swanson stopped six shots by CMB.

CMB played in the Waverly-Shell Rock tournament Saturday but results were unavailable at press time.

The Raiders host Ankeny Christian Academy at 5:30 p.m. Friday in Maxwell.