Forbush soccer KO’d from playoffs in PKs

Forbush boys soccer coach Seth Davis likened the end of Saturday’s state playoff match against Shelby to an NFL overtime contest.

Whoever wins the toss has an extreme advantage.

In this case, Shelby won the toss to see which team would fire first in the penalty-kick shootout after two 10-minute overtime periods and two five-minute sudden-death sessions failed to produce a winner

The Golden Lions made their first four PK shots and turned away the first and fourth attempts by Forbush to preserve the 2A state quarterfinal victory, 3-2.

Shelby now will take on Surry Central on Wednesday to determine the Western representative in this weekend’s 2A state championships. Forbush’s season, which included another conference title, came to an end at 23-2-1.

“It was a bitter defeat,” Davis said. “We were behind the entire game score-wise but refused to quit. Every time Shelby thought they had it won, the boys just found a way to come back. It was a match worth the price of admission.”

Shelby came into Saturday’s contest as the defending 2A state champion. The Lions played in the 2008 state final as well and have been 2A semifinalists four years running.

“Basically, Shelby was the team to beat in our mind,” Davis said. “The game was played like a championship.”

Both teams took a defensive posture early, Davis said, trying not to be the ones to make the first mistake.

Shelby broke through first, with Jerry Zeller converting on a one-on-one attack against Forbush keeper Ender Castillo after collecting a free ball just outside the penalty box.

Forbush earned the equalizer before halftime. Patrik Babinec slipped behind the Shelby back line and placed a ball past Shelby keeper Seth Crow.

The score stayed 1-1 until halftime and through the entire 40-minute second half.

“(Both teams) took the offensive, with each team exchanging blows,” Davis said. “Neither team could take advantage of numerous set pieces, as the two defenses just wouldn’t break.”

In high school soccer, the first set of overtime periods are not sudden death. So all was not lost when Shelby scored in extra time to go up 2-1. Castillo had made what Davis described as a “brilliant save” of a shot by Shelby’s Ben Cheaney. But Cheaney’s teammate Mason McCarter collected the rebound and put it past the recovering Castillo for the lead.

The Falcons stayed alive thanks to Oscar Garcia, who scored against Crow in the second 10-minute OT period.

Forbush had chances to put the game away in the “golden goal” sudden death periods. But two attacks by Kevin Boerman were denied. Shelby’s Zeller headed a ball just past the Forbush post.

“The result is a shootout,” Davis said, after things remained deadlocked after 110 minutes of soccer.

Each team gets five attempts. Shelby grooved its first four attempts into the net thanks to Cheaney, Preston Almond, Zeller and David Hill. Forbush was behind after missing the first try and then was eliminated after Crow stopped the fourth. Adrian Zamora and Babinec made their attempts for Forbush.

Shelby improved to 20-3-2. The Lions also ended Starmount’s season in the round of 16, scoring four goals in the second half to pull away 5-1.

Though Forbush is still seeking its first state championship game appearance in men’s soccer — the Forbush girls have played in the past three — Davis has established the Falcons as a 2A power year-in and year-out. Forbush is currently ranked No. 5 in the state for 2A and has been as high as No. 2. The Falcons were No. 1 much of last year before getting upset by Wilkes Central in the playoffs.

Since 2004, Forbush has won 12 playoff games, never being eliminated in the first round during that stretch. The past three seasons, the Falcons have won at least two post-season games. This year, they won three. Shelby knocked Forbush out of the 2008 playoffs in the third round, 2-1.

Over the past three years, Forbush has lost just five times out of 72 total games, with two ties. The losses have been to 4A RJ Reynolds twice (Forbush beat Reynolds this season), Wilkes Central once (last year in the playoffs) and Shelby twice.

Counting the Forbush girls season in the spring, the Falcons’ two varsity programs posted a combined record of 49-3-1 in 2010.

Forbush Boys Soccer Playoff Success

2010 Playoffs
Forbush 3, Jimmy Draughn 1
Forbush 5, North Henderson 0
Forbush 6, Ashe County 0
Shelby 3, Forbush 2 (PK’s)
Final Record: 23-2-1

2009 Playoffs
Forbush 3, Polk 1
Forbush 4, Smoky Mountain 2
Wilkes Central 3, Forbush 1

2008 Playoffs
Forbush 3, Smoky Mountain 1
Forbush 3, Owen 0
Shelby 2, Forbush 1
Final 2A State Ranking: 8th

2007 Playoffs
Forbush 1, West Henderson 0
Newton-Conover 4, Forbush 1

2006 Playoffs
Forbush 2, West Davidson 0
Forbush 2, Lincolnton 1
Mount Pleasant 3, Forbush 0

2005 Playoffs
Forbush 2, North Stanly 0
Brevard 5, Forbush 3 (PK’s)

2004 Playoffs
Forbush 7, Pisgah 4
Newton-Conover 3, Forbush 1 (OT)

Photo Gallery (courtesy Veda Norman)