SECTION IV BOYS SOCCER: OWEGO PREVAILS IN OT IN CLASS B PLAYOFF OPENER (22 PHOTOS) (2018-10-16)

BY TIM TAYLOR
Tioga County Sports Report
OWEGO - Sometimes, just one positive result can ease a little pain.

After struggling through an 0-14 regular season, Owego registered its first victory Tuesday evening, edging Union Springs / Port Byron, 2-1, in overtime in the first round of the Section IV Class B playoffs.

"We finally got a win," said Owego head coach Kwasi VanScoy. "1-14, but we won when it mattered, so that's a big part."

The victory came when Yuri Birch found himself one-on-one with Wolves goalkeeper Seth Gilmore. The Union Springs senior had been solid between the pipes all night, but was no match for the quick-footed freshman as Birch had little problem sliding it by to secure win with 6:42 remaining in overtime.

Joey Higgins set up the winning score, feeding Birch with a nice pass through the US / PB defense.

"Joey Higgins made that pass. It was an excellent pass," Van Scoy said. "Joey Higgins has got probably one of the best visions in the  game, so he saw Yuri and let that in for Yuri, which was good."

The other goal surrendered by Gilmore also came in a one-on-one situation, this one against the Indians' Isaiah Bishop. The  senior defender's game-tying goal developed far upfield when Bishop took a pass just inside the midfield mark and dribbled his way down the left side and past a pair of defenders. As he moved the ball inside the 18 and toward the center of the field he met with another defender, but easily out-maneuvered him and worked in close eon Gilmore, firing the ball past him almost from point-blank range.

Bishop's goal with 26:42 remaining in regulation made it 1-1 and came just minutes after Owego missed two other scoring opportunities. Just inside the 30-minute mark, Higgins missed wide right on a header off a corner kick opportunity and about a minute later, Birch had a shot on goal, but couldn't get a good foot on the ball and Gilmore made an say save.

Following Bishop's goal, both teams had several scoring chances, only to come away empty. The best opportunity may have come near the 6-minute mark when the Wolves missed a wide open shot to the right side.

The Wolves also had an opportunity to put the game away just over 1 1/2 minute into OT, but they came away empty after beating an Indian defender on a 2-on-1 - thanks to some nifty defense by Owego keeper Hunter Sisson.

Like Gilmore, Sisson made some key saves on the night.

"When you have a keeper that will save almost 75 percent of the shots that are shot at him, you can't complain," VanScoy said of his sophomore keeper. "Being a young guy, he 's come through for us many, many times, especially in the moments when it mattered."

With 8:11 to go, The Indians' Jason Caldwell looked to end the game with a nice shot on goal, only to be robbed by Gilmore.

US / PB controlled possession throughout most of the first half, but misfired on two opportunities while Bishop disrupted another chance all in the first seven minutes of play.  The Wolves also came away empty on two corners before Dylan Walawender broke the ice from close range at 22:15 of the first half.

Things changed after the half as the Indians went on the attack and became more aggressive going after and with the ball.

"That was our game plan at halftime," VanScoy said. "I said we've got to not be timid, and in order for us to win the game we've got to come out hard, push, push, push in order to get us that second goal, so I'm glad they came out and did that for us to get that win."