Primetime preview

One week before their do-or-die District encounter, Rocks edge Wildcats, 2-1

  The Plymouth and Salem boys soccer teams were just over two minutes away from gaining some valuable overtime practice Monday night with next week's Division 1 District tournament looming.

  But Salem's Alex Tramel canceled practice.

  With the thrill-a-minute Kensington Lakes Activities Association second-place cross-over match deadlocked at 1-1, Tramel accepted a pass 35 yards from the goal, dribbled 15 yards to the right wing, then fired a low turf-burner that snuck past Plymouth goal-keeper Kyle Brindza and into the lower-left corner of the net with 2:17 left to lift the Rocks over the Wildcats.

  Unlike in the regular season, the two teams would have played two 15 minutes overtimes and a shootout (if necessary) if the game had remained tied at the end of regulation.

  "It all happened so fast, I just wanted to get a shot off before Danny (Jasewicz) got me," said Tramel, referring to the Wildcats' spectacular defender. "He'd been getting to me before I could shoot all night."

  Tramel said he didn't have time to map out a master plan before his game-winning shot.

  "I saw that corner open for a second and decided that's where I wanted to play it."

  The victory lifted Salem's record to 11-4-4. Plymouth slipped to 10-7-2. The Rocks' win was their third this season against Plymouth.

  The two teams will square off in a District opener Monday at 7 p.m. on the PCEP varsity stadium field.

  The Wildcats struck first two minutes into the contest when Andrew Yoder struck a rising shot past Salem net-minder Sasa Miskovic following a take-away at mid-field.

  Dan Martin countered with the equalizer for Salem 5:39 before halftime when he settled a feed from Mohamed Pourmandi 24 yards out, made an off-balanced spin and deposited a laser onto the top-left shelf.

  "That was a great goal by Dan," said Salem coach Ed McCarthy. "He showed how athletic he is, to be able to hit that ball that well at that moment was impressive."

  The game was tied at 1-all late thanks in large part to inspired play by both keepers.

  Three minutes into the second half, Salem's Lachlan Savage connected with Tramel, whose sizzling shot was re-directed by a diving Brindza.

  Miskovic saved the day for the Rocks with 12:32 remaining when he barely beat Plymouth's surging Nick Russ to a loose ball just inside the 18-yard box and knocked it out of harm's way.

 

 

 

Ed Wright can be reached at info@plymouthcantonsports.com or (734) 453-1980.